Cerinia
by SabreWolferos
Summary: A human named John O'Neil went through a portal to an other world, to escape his old life. He founds himself on a jungle planet named Cerinia. He meets new friends and maybe his big love. Rated T for violence and adult themes.
1. The Son of the Commander

**Chapter 1**

**The Son of the Commander**

It was war. A conflict between the two biggest nations of the world had escalated seven years ago. A small force under the watchful eyes of Commander Jacob O`Neil had to protect an important bridgehead in a meager valley which was almost fully surrounded by high rocks. Only an approximate forty meter wide opening offered a possibility to enter or leave the valley.

"Get ready folks!" Commander O'Neil shouted. "The enemy is on his way! We have to protect that bridgehead at all costs! Everyone get to your positions and load your weapons! I want to see our enemy disappear in a hail of bullets at first sight! Remember for whom you are fighting: that should give you a reason not to die." He pointed with his index finger to the dugouts, bunkers, and cannonry which stood at the front side of the ramified base. "Good luck out there." All of his approximate four hundred seasoned troops saluted in front of their commander, went to their ordered positions, and made their stand.

Commander O'Neil was a strong and a natural born leader who was revered by his men and valued highly by the General Staff. As much as he was revered by his men, he was equally hated by the soldiers' families because he was a strong and natural leader. He received the most difficult orders, the orders that almost always received casualties, and for that the surviving dependents blamed him. He himself always felt a guilty even though it wasn't his fault at all. The war and the stubborn cussedness of the two factions were responsible for that. They were the reason that the fights didn't stop.

O'Neil had brown hair and a short army-haircut as well as brown eyes. He stood at around one and eighty-three hundredths meters tall. O'Neil was a leader who wasn't afraid of putting his own life into the fire to fight with his soldiers at the front of the battlefield. That's why his face and his external body were covered with scars. One of those scars started some centimeters above his left eye and ended several centimeters below it again, but he could still see perfectly with both of his eyes. He wore on his head a typical commander like hat with the symbol of his nation on its front, a phoenix. He also wore a green army jacket that had rather large pockets. He sent his old jacket back home to his son John as a sort of present or memento of his old man. Green army trousers in dark camouflage colors covered his legs and military lace up boots protected his feet.

All of his medals, which got damaged during the fights, the commander earned in his career hung on his right breast pocket. He always carried an adherer, which was similar to a pocket watch with two photos in it, in his left breast pocket. On one of these photos was a woman. She had middle to long length blonde hair and bright green eyes which were surrounded by dark green rings. She was his wife. On the other photo was his son John. He had the brown hair of his father and the eyes of his mother. He was around fourteen years old when that photo was taken. Both of them where very happy and their smiles reflected that. He kept both of them close to his heart. His family gave him the strength and willpower to keep fighting and bear the horrors of war. He would bear these horrors until he could be together with them again. As always, when he was leaving his family for another mission he promised his son and his wife that he would come back.

Commander O'Neil and one of his best sergeants were at the control room of the base to get a better abridgement of the battlefield. "Sergeant, what's the radar showing? How many enemies are on their way and when will they be here?" The Commander spoke to his sergeant with a grave tone in his voice.

"Hard to say, Sir," a deep female voice answered. "There are at least six thousand men, if not more. They are about two kilometers away and they are advancing fast!" The Sergeant was sitting in a chair with a pair of headphones on and a microphone sat in front of her. Both of these were connected to a radio housed in a small box that stood on the ground. The sergeant was staring nonstop at the radar that stood beside the radio.

"That's going to be a fucking hard piece of work!" O'Neil watched the battlefield but only saw dust flying through the air caused by a strong wind. "Sergeant, when do we get our requested reinforcements?" The woman hesitated at first. "I want an answer now, Sergeant!"

"They won't make it in time, Sir."

"What? What happened?"

"The enemy knew about our reinforcements. They destroyed all of the bridges in our vicinity."

O'Neil swore under his breath. "How does our air support look?"

"Three squads of bombers are arriving at our position in about half an hour."

"At least you can count on those guys," O'Neil replied feeling relieved.

The first shots rang out. "Return fire: blow them away!" Several moments later all soldiers and cannonry opened fire at the charging enemy army. The battle went well for the Commander and his men: they dug themselves in extremely well and the enemy couldn't take cover on the meager ground.

"The battle is going well, how long will it take until the bombers arrive?" the Commander asked with a wide smirk on his face. His mood darkened when an explosion blasted one bunker to rubble while a massive quake shook the base. "What was that?" O'Neil asked.

"An enemy explosive device destroyed one of our bunkers! They're infiltrating the base!"

"Wait: can you here that?" A low buzz filled the air and was approaching fast. "The bombers! Sergeant, convey the target coordinates, I'll cover you!" Commander O'Neil grabbed the Sergeant's rifle and walked out into the alleyway where he immediately jumped from behind a column and opened fire on enemy soldiers. A group of enemy soldiers had advanced that far into the base and almost made it to the control room.

He heard the bombers hit their targets and felt the base quake again. The base trembled hard as more dust and dirt trickled from the roof onto the invaders. Blinded, they started shooting aimlessly at Commander O'Neal. The adversarial soldiers were confused and O'Neal took an advantage of that. He threw a grenade into the middle of the group of soldiers and a few seconds later they disappeared in a mass of screams and dust. Unfortunately, a ricocheting bullet found his goal and drilled into O'Neil's femoral artery. He felt the pain, but he had to ignore it. He had to lead a battle to the end.

Commander O'Neil hobbled back to the control room. "How's the battle going?"

"The enemy is falling back! We won!" she exclaimed, looking at him with a smirk and the confidence of victory. She was interrupted when she saw his wound. "Sir, you're injured!" She pulled her headphones off of her head and stood up fast from her chair, causing it to fall over onto the floor as she ran to get the first-aid kit from a cupboard.

"It's just a scratch. It can wait until later," he calmed her. Suddenly an alert light drowned the whole room in a deep red. "What now, damn it?" The woman went fast to her display to answer the Commanders question.

Her eyes dilated in fear as she answered in a chilling scream: "Several cruise missiles approaching: they are targeting the base!"

"What?"

"Seventy seconds until impact!"

O'Neil knew he wouldn't make it, but he gave the evacuation order in hope that some of his soldiers at the border of the base would get themselves far enough before the missiles would hit their target.

The sergeant was about to help the injured Commander. "Get out of here," he grunted.

The sergeant was a bit frightened. "I can't leave you behind, Sir."

"That's an order! Now get out of here!" Tears rushed from her eyes as she saluted in front of her Commander one last time. He answered with a salute of his own. "Thank you for your faithfulness."

"Thank you, Sir." And with these last words the tears flowed down her cheeks as she ran out of the room as fast as she could, headed straight to the exit.

Jacob O'Neil took out the adherer with the photos of his family out of his breast pocket. He looked into the happy faces of wife and his son. "I'm sorry; I can't keep my promise this time." Tears flowed down his cheeks and dripped onto the photo, several seconds later a glaring light enclosed the base.

Days later his wife got the news that her husband fell in battle. His son John was, at that time, fifteen years old and he adored his father. He always wanted to join the military to fight beside him and that was why he started early to train karate and fencing with swords. He also trained a lot at the shooting gallery at the military base with a pistol because he was too young for a rifle. He also was only allowed to use a small caliber handgun and he and the others which practiced were always monitored by a person in uniform. Every time John didn't hit a target the man in the uniform bullied him and told him that he should drop it, but he never gave up.

After he found out that his father was dead the news broke his world apart, but he never gave up. He learned to be strong and one day he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. The war ended some weeks later.

Fortune did not smile on him. One year later his grandmother became very ill and his mother died in a car accident. Disregarding his academic education, he sought work to took care of his grandmother and pay the incoming bills. He refused to become adopted; his parents would have never wanted that.

A year later his grandmother died as the result of a coronary. Now John was all alone.

Today, John was seventeen years old and a respectable young adult. He had slightly tanned skin and dark brown and medium-long hair. His eyes were that of his mother. He also always wanted to grew a five o`clock shadow because he thought it would fit to him. John was just shorter than his father and had broader shoulders than the average male. Mostly all he wore was a white T-shirt with half long sleeves and over that sat the old army jacket of his father, which to his amazement still fit well. He also wore beige colored trousers and beige-brown off boots. He always wore a round, white and gold colored adherer with photos of his parents and his grandma around his neck.

He was still living in the house of his parents. It was an old two storied mansion which was too big for John to live in alone. The mansion stood in a field with different types of broadleaved trees adorning the landscape. His home was relatively close to the city. That's why no one tried to follow or bully John. The mansion itself could have seen better days; the white facade already crumbled and the sides merely looked like grey, wooden walls.

The mid-sized main entrance stood on small stairs with five steps, which again was canopied.  
If you entered the mansion you were greeted by a cloud of dust at once because John had no money to pay a housekeeper and had no fancy to clean it up him self. After you passed the main entrance big, wide wooden stairs stood in front of you which led to the second floor. From the main entrance you could also decide between four doors. One led to one of the baths, another to one of the kitchens, and two of them showed the way to the restrooms for visitors and a room that held a dusted piano. John owned the piano, which he inherited of his parents, but he barely used it. Every now and then he would play a tune on it. If he wanted to learn an instrument it would be either an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar, but he had no money to buy one or even pay for music lessons. He loved the sound of these instruments. In one of his jobs he did he had to tune guitars. He always played with them, until the owner of the shop found out and gave him the sack. That was one of the darkest days in his working career.

On the second floor was, as on the first floor, a bath, a middle-sized balcony which gave a view on the overgrown garden, and John's bedroom. He preferred sleeping in a soft canopy bed which became more comfortable because John put a lot of pillows in it. The roof of the mansion had no holes but it hadn't been reconditioned for an eternity and in the garret animals were living like mice and owls. Despite the many animals that lived there, the layer of dust was even bigger than the rest of the house.

Despite his nice personality, John never had friends because his father was a Commander in the military and every single person who knew him hated him. They believed their fathers and sons were dying on the battlefield while his father hid in a safe bunker far away from the fighting and from there he ordered his men into suicidal missions. John often came to blows with his classmates because of that and because he knew that it was not like that. He wanted to defend the honor of his father. Only one person knew how he felt and that was Ethan. His father was a Commander in the military as well. Despite that, he was not that affectionate towards John's father, but that didn't bar them to become best friends. They had the same hobbies; they even liked the same kind of music. They always wanted, when they were grown up, to be challenged with an adventure, only the two of them. They often played a kind of a survival game. They had thought of different methods, how they would survive, and if it would be necessary too. John specialized himself in collecting berries, fruits, and water while Ethan always tried many a time to catch animals like rabbits so that when they were starving one day they had another option.

Whenever John's mother wasn't at home or had to go to a place where John wasn't allowed to come with, he went to Ethan's place or his mom brought Ethan to theirs. John was always was welcomed at Ethan's until the day Ethan disappeared. At that time both were at the age of eight.  
They were at a lake and played with a ball at the beach. An unlucky hit from John catapulted the ball into the lake about ten meters from the shore into the water.

John wanted to go a get the ball, but Ethan just said, "Let me go, I'll get it." They both were excellent swimmers, but Ethan was a bit faster than John and that's why he didn't try to stop him. John watched his friend as he came closer to the ball. Just as he got it and held it up triumphantly, he sank like a rock into the water and was never been seen after that.

When his friend disappeared John panicked and swam to the spot where Ethan was. He dove under water looking for him but he couldn't find him. He dove over and over again until he lost all of his energy and trudged himself arduously to the beach. The police declared Ethan as missing and presumed dead as they expressed their condolences to Ethan's father for his loss. After this occurred Ethan's father no longer wanted to be in the military. He retired and broke ties to John's family.

Anytime they wanted to visit him he pretended to be not at home or on holiday. One time they tried again and he actually came out of the house, but he was drunk and shouted at John and his mother that it was their fault for what happened and slammed the door without letting them answer. After this they gave up trying. John always tried to talk to him anyway every time he passed the house. He would look up to his friend's window, hoping that Ethan would be waving to him from his room.

Happiness, true happiness he then found only in music, but he didn't play an instrument. He did however like listening to his favorite rock bands which sung of intolerance and unfairness in the world. Before his financial problems started he was able to buy an MP3-Player, on which he uploaded, with the help of a computer his father bought, all his favorite songs. The player had the appearance of a mobile, but was considerably flatter than most. It had a small display, which has showed all the songs he had and a small wheel like button. With that he could choose his songs he wanted to hear and he was also able to adjust the loudness.

Johnny also liked to watch TV. He mainly watched documentations of other countries and animals and movies which included a lot of science fiction. Because he wasn't able to pay his bills the city would stop his television reception soon. He also liked animals, but because of the minor amount of money he had he couldn't afford the livelihood for them.

His training and shooting practice paid off though. He won multiple prizes in swordplay and in karate he was only three ranks from becoming a black belt. Shooting with the pistol he was able to hit an apple at a distance of nine meters.

Because he was always alone he had to teach himself how to cook. He wasn't a five-star chef in his mind, but he was for his beloved tea, whose aroma elated him again and again and whose aroma let him forget his adversity for one more second. He also liked steak even though he was an animal lover. Every time he started doubting if he should eat it or not, he would argue with himself, "It is already dead. I can't help him anymore and wasting the meat would be stupid." As long he didn't kill it himself he only had a small guilty conscience. When he didn't cook for himself he ate fruits or ordered something at a Chinese or Italian restaurant.

It was a boring school afternoon, as always. John sat in his last class, math. The classroom looked like every other classroom. It had cheap, green carpeting which hadn't been cleaned for an eternity, grey walls which got covered with never ending graffiti, about thirty desks with chairs which also were made of a cheap, grey plastic, and there was a blackboard at the front side of the class room where the teachers always covered their, to John, absurd themes. His seating was in the middle-row at the window and nobody sat near to him. No one ever wanted to sit close to him and they avoided him even if they came in contact with him. His classmates avoided him because he would argue with them, but John didn't care if he was kept after school for fighting or not because nobody waited for him. Furthermore they knew that he was stronger than them. He might not look like it, but he could deck it out if he wanted to.

The teacher just wrote some exercises on the blackboard that the students had to solve. Suddenly, the bell rang and all the students started to pack up their books and notebooks. "Don't forget, we'll have a test on this next Thursday!"

John packed very slowly so that he wouldn't get into a conflict with other classmates while leaving. He was the strongest in class but he didn't fight if it could be avoided. When he taught somebody a lesson he had a legitimate reason for it.

"Are you waiting on an invitation, Mr. O`Neil?" His teacher spoke with a glare and a matter-of-fact tone in her voice.

"I`m going…" He answered in the same tone. He put his jacket on and shouldered his black backpack and left. When he left the room, things were as planned: all the students were already outside in the schoolyard or on their way home. Now John set off too. He walked to the street which got used the least. The only path, which came after that street, led into the forest to John's parents` house.

"Hey, leave me alone!" John heard a female voice. "I said let me go! Help me!" The voice came out of a side street. Someone was in trouble and John knew he had to help this person. He ran, with his backpack and jacket still on, into the side street. Two grubby and very dirty men, which were a bit older than John, held onto a girl tightly, who was younger than them.

"Just give us your money and nothing will happen."

John had to help her. "Hey! Let her go!"

The men noticed him. "Back off peewee, or you'll be next!"

"I don't think so!" One of the men walked straight to John.

"Very well then: if this is the way you want it..." His face was as black as coal and it seemed he hadn't shaved himself for an eternity. He raised his right hand and went to punch John in his face, but John stopped the attack and moved to counter the assault. With a strong hold of the thug's arm, John pushed with all his might at the elbow, making the arm emit a sickening crunch. With his arm almost broken the thug fell to his knees wailing in pain.

His partner saw that, threw the girl rude against a garbage container, and ran to his sidekick. He attacked John with his fists as well. John had to let his first opponent go. He didn't deal with his new opponent as nice as with his first one. John wiped away the first strike, which was aimed at his face from the side, and hit the thug pretty hard in the nose. A low cracking was hearable. The attacker screamed for a short moment, however, without hesitating, John hit him in his stomach and kicked him with the sole of his foot, sending the thug to the ground. The first attacker was on his feet again and charged at John, screaming in anger. But John was ready; he spun around and brought the toes of his boot to the thug's chin sending him into a wall.

"You want more or are you going to leave the lady alone from now on?"

The first attacker grunted to his sidekick and ran while holding his bleeding mouth out into the street and turned away. Shortly after, the other followed him maintaining distance from John and holding his blood gushing nose as he ran out into the street.

John went over to the girl. She was about to stand up, but John held out a hand. "Are you alright?" he asked. She took his hand and stood up. She wore a wide hat and a long dress, with a long curled skirt.

"Yeah, thanks." She said with a small nervous voice. The girl wiped the dust and dirt of her dress and faced her savior. She got frightened and stepped back. "You need to go!"

"But--"

"Get out of here now! You are bringing disaster. Now get out of here!", she yelled.

John only blinked then said "Alright, I'll go." Then he ran out of the side street away from the screaming girl. Once he was far away he began to walk again, utterly depressed. "I hate people;" he said crossly and kicked a pebble across the street.

Finally he came to the beaten trail still in a bad mood. He liked the path because it gave him time to think. It was quiet and nobody bothered him there. That's why he always rested there for a while to escape his enemies and the stress in his life. He left headphones in his ears and listened to some music to calm down.

The street here wasn't paved anymore; there was only a dirt road with pebbles. Like every afternoon when he was walking home from school, he shouldered his backpack and he thought about his future. "I'm running going to be out of money soon. I've got bills to pay and school. What's going to happen to me? I don't get enough money. If I help at the building center I'd make enough but I need to graduate."

John arrived at a curve and stared into the distant woods. "If things keep going at this rate they'll foreclose my home. What should I do? This sucks!" John shouted then kicked a stone, which lay at the curve, down the cliff.

That pulled a lot of dirt and ground with it. John lost his balance and fell down the small cliff. When he finally stopped he wasn't hurt nor was his clothes damaged, but he got covered in filth and began to wipe it away as best as possible. While he did that, he watched his environment and his gaze stopped on an area. The area was magnetized. "What the...?" In the middle of the air hung a round window, a kind of a portal, barely bigger than himself that was surrounded by a blue ring. When John looked through it he saw a weird jungle like one on T.V., but there were serious differences. The trees were some of the largest he had ever seen and the foliage looked bizarre, almost as if they were not of this world.

"Huh. They always called such a thing in my Sci-Fi series a, "wormhole," or a, "tear in the space-time continuum". Could that be a portal to another world? No, absolutely impossible. But what else could it be?" He pondered for a moment. "Well, the proof in the pudding is when you eat." He lifted his small finger, for he had no fear of losing it. "Good luck, little buddy." John stretched it through the portal and luckily felt no pain. John felt only a soft, warm breeze that came from the other side of the portal. "Maybe that place is better than here? I would be able to start all over again! In fact, I won't come back anymore. It wouldn't bother anyone and they won't miss me." He observed it for a moment. "It doesn`t look that high… Geronimo!" He shouted then jumped through the portal. After his whole body disappeared into the portal, it cleared away.

_**Authores Notes: Well yes, that`s my first ff, I hope you liked the first chap of it and I also hope, that you ll give me some nice rewievs too.**_

_**Translated from German into English with the help of**__** XxSanitariumxX**_

_**I got a second translator for reasons you shouldn't care, so ...**_

_**2nd translation with the help of **_**DarkInSpace**


	2. The New World

**Chapter 2**

**The New World**

In a star system, several hundred thousand light-years away from Earth:

The sun in this system was middle aged and was far away from becoming a supernova. This star system held five planets: one of them was close to its sun and made up of molten rocks. Two more were too far away from their sun to sustain any kind of living life form and around the smaller was circling the fourth planet, a small light blue moon. The fifth planet however, found the right elliptic course around the sun to support life. Its name was Cerinia. The vegetation on Cerinia grew plants typical for a tropical climate but these plants were much bigger than the ones from Earth.

* * *

This planet was more than ninety-five percent land covered. This planet was also unlike Earth because it was very bumpy and its mountains were much smaller, because the entire surface was made up of hills and valleys which had slipped together because of soil erosion. Only a few areas, which were occupied and cultivated by its inhabitants, were flat. The remaining five per cent of the surface was made up of many lakes and rivers which were dispersed around the whole planet.

The inhabitants of this planet have never seen natural snow before, which was due to the tropical weather.

Generally, this planet was occupied by many different animals. Some of them had lived there since the beginning, like the humanoid Cerinians. They were humans in appearance, and their skeletons were quite identical, but they didn't look similar at all in many other aspects.

If a human would characterize them for the first time, they would describe them as blue foxes which walk on their hind legs and use their human-like hands. Aside from their hands they had eyes that were bigger than human eyes and the irises weren't as black as the ones of their relatives, but featured most of the time a blue or turquoise iris. Despite their difference in size, their eyes were as good as human eyes. Unlike normal foxes, they wore clothes like humans to cover the special areas on their body, to keep themselves warm, and to protect themselves.

The male and female Cerinians differed in their appearance a lot, unlike humans. On one hand, the male Cerinians were only covered with only blue fur, which mostly only passed into a bright blue tone and then turned into a natural grey or white in advancing age. As with the humans, the male Cerinians were for the most part stronger than the women.

In contrast, the female Cerinians were rather petite, their muscles were a bit smaller than the men's, and the outline of their faces and ears assumed a more cat-like appearance. Furthermore, they had a lot of white in their fur: particularly in their face; on their tail; at the front side of their body; and especially on their throat and feet. In addition, they had hair on their head like a human's and they would wear it in several styles ranging from casual to elaborate depending on certain circumstances.

They were a peaceful folk, but peace couldn't always reign because of the Sharpclaw who were inhabitants of the planet as well. They arrived with stolen ships on Cerinia to only do one thing: to enslave the Cerinians and pirate their technology.

The Sharpclaw were very aggressive and obsessed with power and were extremely different from the Cerinians. They were lizard-like, their whole bodies were covered with scales, and they were predominant. But like the Cerinians they stood on two legs. The Sharpclaw were also crafty, conniving strategists and came up with a plan to win the war no matter what the Cerinians did. That plan was now in motion.

* * *

It was shortly after sunrise, the inhabitants of the village were excited because the carriage of the princess was on its way to the village. It was an honor if a part of the royal family came to visit a village. They opened the main entrance and let them pass. The inhabitants constituted a path, in whose middle the carriage was torn. Before the carriage passed them, the villagers bowed deeply, took their hats off to the maiden, and the children rejoiced and danced with happiness because of the royal visit.

The carriage was accompanied by eight equestrians--four on the front of the carriage and four at the back--to protect her if necessary. The enemies of the royal dynasty were closer than they thought.

When the carriage arrived in the middle of the village, the coachman tore at the reins and the draft animals stayed immediately. The coachman stood at his place at the front side of the carriage and opened the side door for the princess. They didn't need stairs, because as soon as the side door opened a small metallic pad slid out of the side of the carriage whereon she was able to climb.

She was a very young princess, her name was Krystal. She was barely older than a child from Earth in its second year in school. She was very eloquent and could understand the seriousness of any given situation. She came into the village to elate its inhabitants again because of the war against the Sharpclaw.

The Sharpclaw would attacked their villages and abduct most of the townsfolk to force them into slave labor. They also tortured them to uncover the secrets of their technology. Until now, everyone died before he or she bespoke these secrets.

The royal military was indeed strong in hand on hand combat, but against the majority of Sharpclaw and their several meter high walls, they were unable to mount an effective offense to overcome them and their fortress.

The stronghold of the enemy was composed of several ridges, which where peppered with guards and gun turrets. The only way there to get inside was through the air, but their flight technology wasn't that widely developed to manufacture aircraft which were able to fly. And the single flying creatures, the CloudRunners, the Cerinians broke ties with because of a conflict a long time ago.

* * *

Princess Krystal was received with acclimation and honor. As the women threw colored petals of all sorts into the air, the children handed Krystal floral wreaths and self made presents. The princess thanked heartily for these presents.

Finally the mayor came to her and begged her to his house and himself for a cup of tea and to tell her about the latest events. He was a comparatively young mayor and was highly esteemed because of it.

It was not a luxury house like the typical ones in the capital city, but was kept rather homely. It was still more beautiful and bigger than the other houses that the rest of the villagers owned.

They sat down in a study, which was rather large, and at every wall stood a shelf full of books in the Cerinian tongue. Within the room there was a desk with a few chairs around it. The mayor begged her to sit down and pushed a chair to her, like a cavalier, while she did so. After that he deposited a cup of tea with a trivet in front of her. He then poured tea in another cup for himself and sat down opposite to her.

"It's nice to see you, princess." He started.

"Thanks for the hearty greeting, mayor," She said taking her cup in one hand and sipped at the tea.

"The present days are anxious and not safe," said the mayor with an aggrieved voice.

"The Sharpclaw attacked many villages in our lands and abducted their inhabitants to their stronghold. I'm worried about that we will be the next."

"What brings you to that presumption, mayor?" the princess asked.

"One of our hunters spotted a Sharpclaw scout within the forest. He was headed in the direction of our village."

"I understand. As soon as I am back at the capital city, I'll submit your assumption to my father. He'll send you then an escort so you and the rest of the village will be brought safely to the capital city," the princess announced.

"Thank you dearly." He took a sip of his cup. "Well! Now that we've finished that delicate theme, how have you been in the past days, princess?" But before she had the chance to answer, a loud explosion sounded and people screamed in response.

The mayor hastily stood up and his chair fell over. His cup dropped to the wooden floor and cracked. "That's the Sharpclaw! They appeared earlier than I expected," He said as he went to the window and looked out at the situation.

Enemy soldiers charged through the blown up main entrance into the village. The villagers were bludgeoned with the Sharpclaw's edgeless weapons and dragged out of the village.

The escort of the princess drew their swords, spears, and staffs and faced the enemy forces. Some of the Sharpclaw clambered up the buildings and jumped onto the soldiers from above. They weren't prepared and all of the Cerinian soldiers were quickly disabled. Some other Sharpclaw lit torches and threw them onto the straw of the roofs of some buildings.

The mayor stepped back from the window so that he wouldn't be seen and the enemies wouldn't try to capture the princess and him self.

"We have to hide you, princess!" His muted voice reached out to her.

"I can't, I have to fight--"

"No. If you fall into their hands, they would be on the verge of winning the war. I know your father; he would do anything to secure your safety."

Shortly after that, the door of the room was pushed open by a loud bang and two enemy soldiers charged into the room onto Krystal. The mayor went to stop them but was quickly overwhelmed. Krystal's quiet outcry escaped from her muzzle, which she tried to cover with her hands. She saw the unconscious mayor on the ground. The two Sharpclaw soldiers closed in on her.

"_Help me!_"

* * *

John groaned and woke up. He heard someone calling for help and this call still sounded in his ear. It was a woman, a very young woman—a girl—and she called for help.

Dazed, he picked himself up off the ground and tried to answer the call. "Hello? Is anybody out there?" The echo resounded throughout the woods, but there was no answer. He tried again. "Hello?" Again, only his voice answered him back. John scratched his head. "I probably just imagined it."

He concentrated now on his own problems. He had determined that he had fallen deeper than it looked through the portal. "Not again..." He wasn't hurt, but he had—during the fall—messed up his t-shirt at his elbows and his trousers at both knees and was bleeding quite a bit. He also had determined that he fell about four meters and during that fall, broke several branches of some trees and then rolled down a small hill.

"Geez... That was a fall! Fortunately for me everything is in the right place," John said as he examined his body for fractures. Physically, he was ok. But, during his fall he lost his jacket and his backpack and he couldn't see either one of them. John thought that they might by laying somewhere in the bushes.

John examined his surroundings, taking note of every detail. He was in a clearing in a forest, which wasn't very bright because of the far reaching branches and the airtight foliage of the trees in his environment barely let light through.

Through a small break in the canopy did he see the sky, but it was clouded. That's why John couldn't say if it was morning or afternoon. After a short meditation, he thought that the time of day was not as important as where he was and he'd have to figure that out above all else.

But first he had to find his jacket and his backpack. Then he remembered his MP3-Player, which was fortunately still in his pants pocket and after a short test, he found that it still worked.

John managed to find his things, which luckily landed not too far away from his current position. John became aware that the gravity on this planet was very similar to the gravity on Earth and he didn't get any kind of super jumping or strength because it wasn't weaker.

He found his back pack and went through the contents. "Some schoolbooks and note pads, a pencil case and some pencils, and my almost completely filled one-and-a-half liter bottle and a ham sandwich. Not exactly the luxury I had before I came here. Well, MacGyver had to come to terms with less. I better eat the sandwich now, because who the hell knows what kind of monsters are running around here and could smell this!" Since it was really beginning to swelter, he took off his jacket and tied it around his stomach so as not to lose it. John thought it would be important to keep his jacket, because he didn't know if this temperature continued until night or if it would drop.

After he finally was ready to leave, John made sure to keep an eye out for any potentially existing civilizations or food or water sources that he might encounter and made himself aware of his environment so as not to fall into another hole.

"These are actually the same things as in a jungle on Earth," He thought to himself. "Trees, bushes, rocks, grasses of all kind that dangle from the trees and... dirt." The first proof that John then found, which proved that he wasn't on Earth anymore, was a bird. The bird was about the size of a raven and wore a red and white plumage. His breast held a dark-orange tone with visible thin, red stripes that ran horizontal. His head was raven-like too, but from his head to his neck was a Native-American-like head dress. John remembered the Native-Americans, but took note that the bird's head-dress was a bright orange to cherry-red tone. Again, he had a raven-like--but very down bowed—beak. His tail feathers were about a half-meter long and were a fiery red at the beginning and got brighter to up end where they finally ended in white.

This proof, however, was destroyed by a more useful heads up when the bird perched on one of the trees, which was covered with needles and leaves that strongly resembled the leaves of a maple tree. However, these were by far bigger. When the bird perched, the tree closed around it like a carnivore and did not let go despite the bird's intense resistance. The bird stopped moving and bawling some moments later. "Very well, then! I should keep this in mind: these spine trees are not very friendly." John said to himself as he made the mental note.

The first thing that he thought, after he had seen all these weird things, was: "When I wound up here, why not Ethan too? He would really like it over here. At least, we always wanted such an adventure but we didn't want to do it without the other." He sadly remembered some of the things that went against that theory and actuality impaired his mood. "He was only eight years old then, and he was only wearing his swimming trunks." He shook his head to dispel the dark thoughts. "If I find a native, I'll just ask him. That will settle it!" With his newly collected bravery he set off.

John walked through the unknown and to make the walk more enjoyable he plugged his headphones into the MP3-Player and started to listen to some of the music from his favorite band. He knew he had the right song for this situation on his player, so he searched for it and played it. "_I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known. Don't know where it goes, but its home to me and I walk alone..._" John really loved this band. They always hit the government with their lyrics at the exact place where it hurt the most and brought people together.

On his trip John saw some curious and fascinating things. For example: an apparently endless waterfall where azure water fell into the deep between stones and created a huge shroud of mist. "_My shadow's the only one that walks beside me. My shadow's heart's the only thing that's beating."_ John passed rather large mushrooms that hopped away as he drew near. As is the rule, there were a lot of stones and toppled trees in the jungle and it was all in John's way. He had to climb over or walk around them in order to keep moving in the same direction. They didn't present any problems to him, but they were really annoying and he lost much needed time. During his trip though the jungle, John was finally able to see the sky. It wasn't as blue as the one on Earth, but had a more turquoise colored tone. He was able to see the sun, and as far as he could tell it was already afternoon.

It was astonishing to walk underneath two beautiful birds. They flew in a bow around each other, which was narrowed, and they almost touched each other's chest and until they broke apart, only to begin the process again.

The whole journey wasn't silent; it wasn't startling to John who used to hear singing from the two birds he has seen before. John was amazed at the beauty of the sounds and he turned off his music player to listen. It was a very enjoyable, soft singing--like out that of a wooden flute--and the tone resounded throughout the entire jungle. It almost inspired a thought inside of John that would make him think that this planet was paradise. The singing was colorful, relaxing, and entrancing to listen to.

Eventually the singing grew hushed. John assumed that the birds wanted to begin the "mating ritual" and decided it was best to move along.

Only now did he recognize that this part of the jungle was relatively quiet. Off and on John would hear the outcry of a bird or a very deep sounding croak of a frog. He could not constantly and that amazed him to an extent.

During his journey through the unknown John, had to stop to relieve him-self and to fill his bottle at rivers and lagoons where he was sure that some cow-like animals indulged in before. After some hours of walking, John had to admit to himself that his sandwich only filled him to a minimal degree. So, he used the same strategy to get more. He laid a distance away from some bushes with fruits or berries in the high grass, eagerly anticipating animals to either eat them or just walked pass them. Depending on whether the animals ate them or not proved if the fruits and berries were safe to eat. He would also have to try to catch an animal but he was confronted with two problems: he had to kill the animals, but was an ardent animal lover and would loath doing it; on the other hand, he had to cook or barbecue them somehow. The raw meat could contain E-coli or salmonella, which would probably kill him. "Hopefully there aren't any space-ticks here or something weird like that." John continued mumbling and began stalking. He had to scratch himself often, but that was caused mostly by his sweat or some kind of plant, that he was apparently allergic to. His skin went red without scratching it after he touched it. John thought that it would be better to use his jacket as a kind of blanket. So, he untied the knot around his belly and laid his jacket on the ground in front of him before he sat on it.

He tried some of the fruits, which he saw were eaten by the animals. They looked like raspberries with smaller bodies, and unlike usual, were bunched together as big as an apple. "Huh… they taste like pears with less size but have a strange strawberry like aftertaste," he thought and continued eating. When he had had enough, he picked some more and packed them into his backpack. He didn't know when he would find something to eat again. "Discretion is the better part of valor." He looked around. "This is a strange place," he thought loudly. "The sky is turquoise, the plants are numerous, and the animals look like they would have escaped from a laboratory."

Night finally settled in and he reasoned that it was a good idea to keep his jacket on because it grew colder. In the slowly fading sunlight he tried to make a bed out of fallen foliage and dead bushes. First, he swept a dry place under a tree with a still well leafed branch. With the branch, he cleared any stones and rotten fruits away. After that he searched his environment for dry foliage, which turned out to be more difficult than sweeping the ground because this planet held humid air and that was why less leaves and foliage were around. His so-called bed looked more than a raked up hill of leaves than a bed. "It's not like at home, but it's better than nothing," he thought. While he was looking at the absolute alien night sky, which was peppered with stars, Johns was amazed at the universe in the form of a swirl. He began brooding over where Earth could be in that cluster of stars and if he was still in the same universe he came from. While he thought he slowly began to fall asleep.

With all his thinking he completely missed the cataclysmic light on the horizon some kilometers afar.

* * *

_**Author notes:  
So, my beta reader re-checked this chapter and corrected some errors. **_

_**Thanks to **_**DarkInSpace**

_**I also changed the age of Krystal, before she was about 5 now she is about 7, the reason will be mentioned later in the story.  
**_


	3. The Mysterious Person

**Chapter 3**

**The Mysterious Person**

That night John had a strange dream. He stood in a room which moved. The room was pitch-black. Only through small slots in the walls near the roof a flaring light entered the room, which was generated by fire or something like flames. First he thought that he was alone, but he then saw in front of him a small person cowering on the ground with her back towards himself. The person whimpered something. John tried to calm the person. "It's all right: just relax."

He went to the person to give her a light, encouraging pat on the back, but before he was able to reach her the wagon gave a strong jerk causing him to fall backwards. The jerk was so strong that he almost landed on the opposite side.

"Ouch!" He shouted when banged his head against the wooden wall, scraping his skin. The other person didn't go as far as him since she was almost lying down. John stood up again, the other person doing the same. Then she turned around to him. He heard that female and childish voice again, which woke him, after his arrival while unconscious,

"Help me… Help us... Please..." the voice said, sounding in complete despair.

"Who are you?" John asked. She faced him and John saw two turquoise colored eyes and the tears that had formed in them. They burned their way into his memory because he had never seen such eyes before. They were bigger than a human's and inside them were two black, shiny dots which were covered by a much bigger, turquoise colored sheath.

"I am—" but the other person was interrupted. At the wall behind John, a door jumped open and a second silhouette, which was much bigger and wider than him, with two dark yellow eyes and narrow pupils glared at him.

He woke, startled, drenched in sweat, and breathing fast. "W-Was that a dream?" He sampled his body with his hands to check if everything was in the right place. "It was a dream, but something was different. That voice—that voice from yesterday—I have to help that person, but where can I find her? And then of course there's that other person. Who or what was that?"

He mulled over his dream for a while and watched the sky, which became—because of the sunset—submerged in a mild orange. After a moment he decided that he had to determine whether or not he was alone."Well who and what are you?" John questioned, referring to the creatures in front of him, just three meters away. There were three of them, standing about two feet tall and they were rabbit-like.

They stood on their hind legs, completely unlike normal Earth rabbits. They had bright brown, fluffy fur, but were completely white on their front and had black dots off and on all over their backs. They had big, black eyes, a black snub nose, a small mouth, and a short fluffy tail which grew brown near the base. The rabbit-beasties had four ears, which grew abreast, the outer ones being half as long as they were tall and about twice as long as the inner two. Their ears were fluffy as well and were also covered by black dots. The fur in their auricle was white too.

They didn't seem to be dangerous, but were very curious and watched John closely. They arranged their ears and stood on their tiptoes. When John stood up to approach to his visitors, they jumped—frightened—back and hid in the bushes so that John wasn't able to see them anymore, but they could still see him.

"Bummer... Well, they looked very curious. They'll come back again," John said to himself. He didn't want to catch and eat them, but he could do well with some companionship.

John spent the night close to a lagoon that he hadn't noticed the evening before and he was very relieved that he didn't fall in the lagoon while already submerged in darkness. John went to the lagoon, the water looking very clean and therefore not poisoned, and so created drams from it. After that he washed his face and examined his reflection. His hairstyle was—as he expected—very messy, and that's why he tried using more water to get his hairstyle the right way, which he eventually obtained. He had to admit that he was very hungry. John unpacked some of the fruits he found the day before and ate some. He soon noticed that the three animals were back again and were once again watching him. John wanted to make amends for the discord that caused their flights before and asked them if they wanted to eat something too.

"The three of you have been at this place all morning. If you are hungry you can get something from me." He handed them one of his fruits. They came closer with small hops and sniffed at the fruit and when they decided that there was no danger, they snatched the fruit and sat down at John's side to eat with him.

When they were full they jumped, brightly purring and chirping at John to thank him. He wasn't prepared for that and fell backward in the soft grass and had to laugh, because the soft fur of the rabbits tickled his face. "Stop it you guys! That tickles!" John laughed. "It's nice to have friends that thank you for such a little present." John thought and then smirked.

After the four of them had calmed down, John tied his jacket around his belly, shouldered his backpack, and continued with his three hopping companions into an uncertain day.

During their walk through the jungle, they had to stop periodically to drink some water or refill, to indulge in fruit, or to rest, 'cause climbing over trees and stones was quite exertive. But that didn't amount to his new friends. They saw bizarre and strange plants and animals. For example, there was a six-legged boar that wallowed in a mud hole. His tusks weren't on his lower jaw, but were on his muzzle, strung one after the other. Then there were orchids, which were double the size of a sunflower and had the blazing colors of rainbows. But these orchids weren't just beautiful, but also very dangerous. One of the orchids clucked and a little bird—similar to a hummingbird, only bigger—flew to that flower to eat its nectar. In the blink of an eye, the flower closed and confined the bird to its inside. John heard the bird screaming in panic and decided to help him. The plant grew on the ground, so John could easily reach her. He actually didn't know how to act in such a situation, so he just started trying. First he tried to climb onto the plant and open the clack on its top with his hands, but when he reached the top, the plant was firmly closed and would not open. Then John noticed something at the bottom of the plant, close to the ground it grew from. "This must be the stomach," he thought. Then he tried something different. He climbed down the plant and thought of the stomach. The bird was still fighting for his life, his screaming still clearly audible, just like his wings beating.

"Then here is where it can hurt." With a forceful sweep of his left leg into the stomach, which was very flexible and buckled so he didn't even make a dent, John heard a loud gurgle which wandered to the top and out of the plant. Several seconds later, a fountain of a green, viscous liquid blasted out of the long helve of the plant and out with it the little bird. Without hesitating, the bird took flight from the deadly danger without even thanking his saver. But John had other sorrows. The green gastric juice had regurgitated onto him. It was very sticky, viscous, and he had to wash it as fast as possible, because he could be digested himself. The three rabbits didn't get sprayed; they took cover just in the nick of time.

John appealed to his friends, in hope that they would understand him. "Can you show me where the next lagoon or river is?" Apparently they really understood him, because shortly after he finished his sentence they went into a huddle, debated, and then started hopping away.

John had problems just trying to catch up with them because of the sticky liquid and the things in the environment, like leaves and branches, which were beginning to stick to him. His friends noticed that and got slower and even tried to push him, only to get dirty in turn.

After a five-minute, fatiguing hassle, they reached a wide, slow, and clear river, where the water was a light, bright blue shade. It was about time they reached the water because John could feel his skin beginning to burn like it was exposed to acid or something. He quickly reached the river after running across the sandbank and jumped into the cool, embracing water. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. For John it had the perfect temperature.

He washed himself as fast and well as possible and was able to scour the stomach acid of the flesh eating plant off his body and clothes. He noticed that his friends had gotten a small amount of the acid on themselves too. He went to them, took the first one in his arm, and then went into the water and helped free him of the sticky matter. The rabbit-like animal enjoyed the bath and it made the others slightly curious. First they were a bit hesitant. They liked water, but not in great amounts like rivers. But when John cleaned the first one and placed him on the sandbank again, the other two could barely wait to be cleaned.

After everyone was clean, John lay onto the sandbank to get dried by the sun and watched the sky. His friends joined him and sprawled out around him. Some white clouds passed sky above them and John tried to interpret them but he had to admit that most of them made no sense. He tried to think a bit about that time but then he remembered the one thing he wasn't able to forget.

Those turquoise eyes in his dream, they just wouldn't leave his mind be. However, he was ripped out of his silent musing, because in a single instant the three rabbits began like to jump around in frenzy as if they wanted to tell or disclose to John something.

"What's the matter? Why are you nervous? Do you want to show something to me?" Before John could make a guess all three of them jumped into the nearest bushes. He had to go after them: he couldn't just sit back and watch his friends disappear like that. John gripped his backpack, crammed in his half-full water bottle, grabbed his jacket, and sprinted after the three. When he slowly began to catch up with the rabbit creatures he learned why they were so nervous. Massive clouds of black smoke weren't far away from them and he ran even faster.

When he finally arrived at the source of the smoke he witnessed a horrible sight. Several homes were ablaze behind their protective stone wall. John knew if there was still somebody alive he had to find and help them and then maybe he'd find some answers.

The wooden, about one meter thick, main entrance to the village, appeared to have been blasted off and front of it were multiple tracks that had been fabricated by wheels and lizards. The lizard-print had three toes, like a turkey, and were the size of John's feet. But other ones were definitely bigger than the normal sized ones,

"Lizards? Hopefully there aren't predators or I might be in trouble," John said as he went into the village. Behind the wall, it didn't look much better. Many thatched huts—like houses—were either collapsed or had been burned.

"Apparently they've been attacked," John mumbled. He examined the ground again. There was a bit of dried red blood on the ground and there were scrub marks and footprints of the lizards everywhere. There were also footprints implying that they were made by shoes. "These might have been the villagers," he speculated, "or maybe not." He proceeded a bit further on and soon he found deeper prints with a striated design. He kneeled down to get a better look at them. "This one was very heavy, maybe armor-plated." He stood up again, "It doesn't help: I have to search through the buildings. Will you come with me?" he asked his friends. Without hesitating, they gave a whimper and John nodded understanding.

In the middle of the village was a vehicle. John went closer to observe it better. "Looks like a carriage…" It was then that he saw some decorations on the side of the carriage. His finger went over them gingerly. "A very noble carriage. It's a pity that it hasn't got any draft animals; they would have helped a lot. I better leave my jacket and backpack here. They'll slow me down or catch fire inside the buildings." He threw his stuff on the ground and he and the rabbits searched through every building and cottage which looked passably robust.

They looked through the small ones first, but found mostly tools or food that was scattered on the ground. The furniture was broken or destroyed and glass and porcelain splints lay scattered on the ground. On some of the furniture were splashes of red blood, but not enough implying that someone was going to bleed to death. They seemed to be just minor wounds if anything. The rooms actually looked very comfortable if they weren't in such disarray. During his whole exploration tour the rabbits hovered next to John and didn't go far from him if they did.

Then he finally came to the biggest and last of the houses which owned—in contrast to the other ones—a second floor. At first view it was almost completely intact, besides the main entrance that looked like it had been kicked open.

The ground floor looked very grandeur: on the walls hung paintings of landscapes and sundry animals. All paintings that looked like that there would have been a person in it had been destroyed beyond recognition. And marble-like splints were on the ground beside the still standing pedestals. John presumed that these splints were what used to be a bust or something like that.

"Whoever attacked the village couldn't like the culture of its inhabitants in any way," he thought loud.

On the second floor it didn't look any better. He entered some kind of library, which was totally destroyed. The books were either ripped apart or burned, which to John's amazement didn't burn down the whole house. It seemed that they only had it in for their culture because in the middle of the room stood a table and two overthrown chairs. On the table stood a cup made of porcelain. John examined its contents in more detail. It was a red liquid, but it was no blood. John took a whiff of it.

"Tea?" He tasted it without hesitating. It was light, sweetish, and had an aroma he didn't know for certain but liked anyway. "Whoever was here was very relaxed at the moment." Then he saw a porcelain cluster close to one of the toppled chairs, in his way. "Or maybe they had a conversation or something like that." He left the house, in a bad mood, and de-motivated again.

"No survivors and no dead bodies: what the hell happened here? And those big footprints are giving me even more concern."

John now stood in the middle of the village and lifted his hands and formed them around his mouth. "Hello? Is anybody still out there? I'm not an enemy, I want to help you!" The only thing that answered was his echo. He was on the verge of giving up, when suddenly the rabbits started chirping and ran as fast as they could into one of the still intact houses, away from John. Someone was there, but he wasn't that happy to see John.

Before he knew the cause of their sudden escape, he was grabbed by a strong arm and was thrown several meters through the air before he hit hard on the ground. He was hurt a little blood ran down from his left eyebrow. Now he saw, why his friends took that hasty flight.

In front of him stood about a seven-and-a-half foot, bulky, reptile clad with armor, which was for the most part made with leather straps that clung to metal bars on its chest, arms, and legs. John noticed that the creature had two or even three times wider shoulders than a human which assisted two long, strong, and muscle-bound arms. Furthermore, the creature stood upstanding like a human. Its tail that came out of the back of the armor was rather outgoing.

"That's probably so it can balance better," John thought. The creature also wore a round helmet that opened in the front and allowed John to be able to see his two yellow, snake-like eyes that stared at him stalwart and his sharp teeth that bristled in his short, reptilian mouth. In his three fingered, dark green hand it held a round morning star with blunted spikes.

"So you abducted these people! What have you done with the girl?" He didn't get an acoustic answer, but the lizard swung his weapon and catapulted it with a mighty blow in John's direction, which he dodged and scrolled to the side to get some space between him and his opponent. Even from a few meters away he felt how the earth quaked because of the collision of the weapon.

John stood as fast as possible up and jumped to the side as the creature raised his weapon to strike another blow, but was off the mark again and hit with an immense power into the sandy ground. "If I don't come up with something I'm done for! I need a weapon!"

John looked around fast but he didn't find anything that looked like any kind of weapon. "Fortunately this guy is very dull, that makes it easier to me not to get hit." The enemy swung out multiple times with his weapon and smashed everything in his way. Debris from the objects it hit flew and fell everywhere.

John stepped against something when he walked backwards, when he managed to get some distance between him and his enemy. It was a long, wide, and sharp splinter which apparently broke off from the explosion of the main entrance to the two story house. "This will have to do," John thought and picked the splinter from the ground and clasped it keen with his hand. Now he had a plan.

He bided his time and when the enemy hit the ground with his mighty blow and rammed the morning star into the sand, jumped John onto the weapon, climbed with two fast steps up his arms and rammed the splint with all of his force in one of the eyes of his enemy. The enemy screamed in pain and was now angrier than before. Yellow blood gushed out of his wound.

John jumped off its shoulders, so that he stood behind the back of his enemy, but he forgot the tail. The now even more angry and bloodthirsty lizard made a fulgurous about-face and hit John with his tail with such a force that John flew some distance through the air and smashed against a bar of one of the still intact buildings. John felt how hard his body hit the bar and tried to stand again, but couldn't move anymore and began to steadily loose his consciousness. His last thoughts were of the enemy. "So much for me…"

Suddenly, something like a gunshot from out of no where, a blue fireball the size of a football from the shadows of one of the buildings hit the enemy on the chest. The giant lizard fell backwards, dead. But before he touched the ground he disappeared, including his armor, in a bright, white mist of light that seemed to absorb him from the inside. John, with his last power, turned his head into the direction the fireball had come from.

He saw a brown cape covering a person walking straight to him and he was holding a long wooden staff, which at the peak glowed blue in his hands. John's sight blurred. He lost consciousness so he did not see the stranger examine him and mutter an incantation which lifted him up as if John were weightless. The stranger brought John into the dwelling's bedroom and wove his staff. Briefly afterwards, all items in the room repaired themselves of their own volition and moved themselves back to their place of origin.

He brought John to a location floating over the bed, and let him slowly and smoothly down. At last the person dragged some gauze bandages and sundry herbages out of his sleeve and started to tend his wounds by hand.

_Authors note: Yeah another chapter done. The next two chapters will be a bit shorter, but will contain a bit about the background story and much more dialogue._

_Translated with the help of XxSanitariumxX_

_Second translation by DarkInSpace_


	4. Ready for the Rescue Operation

**Chapter 4**

**Ready for the Rescue Operation**

It was a long while until John regained consciousness and as far as he could tell he was still alive. He had a really bad headache and he held his head as if to soothe or in some way alleviate his pain.

"Hey what the Hell?", said as he noticed that he had a bandage wrapped around his head and when he took a closer look at himself he also noticed some on his elbows and knees. To his amazement he wasn't laying on the ground anymore, but in a bed in an abandoned house. He sat up and observed the room he sat in. He definitely was in a wooden house, possibly still in the village where he passed out. Aside the bed stood a mirror on a bureau and he examined his face. He had everywhere small scratches and on the left side of his forehead a small bloodstain pressed through the bandages.

When John looked at himself in the mirror long enough he stood up, his wounds still hurt but that didn't detain him, to put on his jacket, which laid on a chair close to the bed and he walked outside of the room.

His guess confirmed itself, it was a house of the village, where he got attacked by the foreign creature. When he stepped out of the room he came upon again the desolated rooms which he searched for the villagers a short time ago.

When he left the house, his friends, the three rabbits jumped forward, they waited at the front of the house for their friend so not to interrupt his recovery sleep and they were noticeably happy that he was alright. "It is nice to see you three unhurt. What happened?", John said as he kneed down to them and petted their ears.

"These Bafomdads seem to have grown rather fond of you. They feel who has a good heart and who has not.", hummed a deep voice behind John. He stood up again and turned around frightened. In front of him stood a for about 2 meters (6 feet) tall figure who was completely covered by a cloak and hold in one of his sleeves a staff, with that he based on it, and apparently seemed to appear from nowhere.

"You slept for a whole day.".

Frightened John at first didn't answer, but after a brief moment of hesitating he woke up his courage to speak; "So, you are called Bafomdads?", he said looking down to the three rabbits, which answered his gaze, but John didn't digress from the person. "Wait a second ...", John turned his head again to the person, "You are the one!?", the stranger nodded with his hood and closed up to a distance, which didn't exacerbate talking that much. "Then perhaps I should thank you Mister…?", said John as he reached out his hand to shake the one of the stranger in thanks. But when he didn't make an attempt to reach his hand out into John's direction, John pulled his back and said, "Well, my name is John, John O'Neil.".

"My name is Randorn.", the hooded person answered with a calm, but deep voice.

"Nice to meet you Randorn.", John said then thought for a second about his wounds and the attack, "Then you have to be the person who rescued me of that monster and tended my wounds?".

"That's right.", Randorn said, nodding slightly.

John was at a loss as to how he appeared, but the fact that he saved his live was enough for him to trust the stranger. "Thanks, I thought I was a goner. It sure was a close one.".

"You even were injured pretty badly. The Sharpclaw hurt you quite extensively, but with the right medicine you recovered your strength quickly.".

"So, these lizards are called Sharpclaw?" John asked as he scratched his chin, "Are they actually always that big and brutish?".

"No, this one was an elite warrior, which was left to catch and enslave possible survivors. Most of them are barely bigger than you, fairly stupid and cowardly.".

"That explains a lot." John thought loud. "That's why all villagers are missing.", he assessed, "For what do these monsters need the villagers, they are defined much stronger and could work longer and harder, couldn't they?", he asked.

"That's is correct, but as I already said, they are brutes and very heartless and blinded with lust for power. And because they are not able to develop technologically, they assail other tribes, arrest their villagers, take them to their fortress, constrain them and put them under torture until they build weapons and armament.".

"I understand...", John mumbled quietly, "We got to rescue them!", John burst out.

"You actually don't have any reasons to help them, why would you risk your life, for people you don't even know?", Randorn asked, but it sounded more than a declaration than a question.

"I sound strange, but...", John hesitated a bit to think if he should tell Randorn about his dream or not.

"I'm listening.", Randorn said, his voice indicated that he was curious.

"The night before I had a dream, and in that dream was a person, a child, with turquoise blue eyes ... and she begged me for help before I woke up.".

"A dream?", Randorn asked, completely astonished.

"Yes, I know it sounds stupid ... ", John said but was interrupted by Randorn.

"That is stupid by no means.", John looked at him with an astonished look and lifted eyebrow, "Some of the inhabitants own a very special ability, perhaps rather a gift. It allows them to communicate over large distances with others.".

"Then we even more reason to go and help them!".

"I'm too old for such a thing. And besides you are still debilitated. Open your hands.".

Randorns staff flashed up and John did as he got told. In his hands lighted a bright, blue glow up and in this blue glow formed a compact mass. When the glow faded a big honeydew melon like fruit, but which he could pick to pieces like an orange, was in his hands.

"And now eat and recover your energy.", Randorn ordered.

John knew that this fruit was too big for him and so he gave some to the Bafomdads a part of the fruit and sat down next to them which apparently were happy about that. When John was finished with eating he stood up again and Randorn continued.

"Your wounds are still not healed, but if you want to help them anyway, I'll understand that.".

"I'll handle those wretches.", he said firmly but hardly believed himself. "When did they actually attack the village? It couldn't be long ago, could it?".

"They attacked it the day before yesterday.".

"Then they almost got an advance of two days.", John said as he scratched his bristly chin. "The fact they are a two days out is a problem but so is the fact that I'm unarmed.", John said and then remembered something. He then began to look around for his things.

"Don't worry, your backpack and the small gadget are undamaged and are lying inside the house.", Randorn said gently and John was relieved. "And don't worry, that you are unarmed. Here.", Randorn pulled out of his sleeve, like a wizard a rabbit out of his hat, a two handed, for about 1.30 (four feet) meters long sword with engraved silver symbols and a brown sheath. Randorn handed it to John. In that moment John thought, that he maybe got a clue, how Randorn looks, but he didn't get one, because Randorn wore a black glove, so John had to keep on speculating. John took the sword in thanks.

John drew the strangely light weighted sword out of its sheath which was rather well made but nothing compared to the silver sheen of the blade. While he looked at his reflection, which didn't look that good with all the scratches on his face Randorn said, "This sword was manufactured by the inhabitants of this village and was forgotten in the chaos the attack created. You should take it and help the villagers with it.".

"They were that well equipped and were still defeated?", John asked Randorn. "Here lived only countrymen and blacksmiths. They had no experience in fighting, but when I saw you, how you dodged the attacks of the warrior, I knew that you already fought at least once.", he answered.

"Yes ... kind of. It was actually only brawls and hard training.", John answered embarrassed.

"In my opinion it then was a good training.", Randorn said.

"Good, I got a sword now.", John said changing the subject, "But it wouldn't make a difference against the elite-warriors with their thick armor and their scabby skin.".

"If you would let me talk, I'll tell you a secret.", Randorn hummed. John kept silent and waited curious as to what Randorn had still to tell him. "Good ... " Randorn said satisfied with the silence, "At the end of the haft ... ", he pointed at the sword, " ... is a red crystal. If you activate it by a light push ...", he gestured to John with a motion of his hands to do it and John did it without to objection.

The sword became surrounded in a blue aura, which went over it like small bolts of lightning. The Bafomdads became frightened and jumped about one meter away from John. Even John was a bit frightened but didn't drop the sword and watched the event. "In this condition ... " , Randorn continued, "... the sword almost can cut through every matter. But if it keeps that condition too long ", John pushed the crystal again because he feared that the sword could explode," ... the aura disappears and the crystal has to recharge before you can use it again.", Randorn said and John was clearly relieved and amazed.

"Good, that problem is solved now but the Sharpclaw still got an enormous head start! I better start following them now!", he said already turned around and was ready to leave, however he was stopped by Randorn.

"You don't have to worry about that either.", John turned back to him again. Randorn pulled another item out of his sleeve, which resembled a horn and he blew strongly into it. It sounded like the melody of a singing bird, just deeper and much longer breathed.

Several moments later a shadow appeared on the ground of the village and John looked up to see what was flying there, but the sun obscured his sight. The shadow drew his circles over the village, until his maker made the decision to lower his flight.  
First after the flying creature landed in the village and the dust, it raised, reclined what it was about. The Bafomdads hid behind John of the imposing creature. John's jaw fell down with sheer amazement, he barely believed his eyes,

"A-A real, f-full grown Pteranodon!".

He rubbed his eyes again to be sure. This Pteranodon looked exactly like John always saw them at home in TV on documentations about the time of the dinosaurs. They just were animations made by computers, but they really resembled to the original one. The Pteranodon was about the size of the Shapclaw-warrior. His head had a long sharp beak, shortly behind it two big egg sized eyes and the typical horny outgrow at his back of the head. His torso was about three meters (six feet) long and half a meter (one and a half feet) wide and his wings span John guessed was over four meters (twelve feet). The Pteranodon stood on two one and a half meter long, wooden-pillars thick legs and had on them two four-toed thin feet, each with a short but sharp claw per toe. The anterior ones were arranged like the ones from the Sharpclaw prints. But different to them, the Pteranodon had a one more toe, which grew out of the back of his feet, just in the opposite direction of the anterior middle toe. The only difference to the dinosaurs he saw in TV, compared to this one, was that this one was indeed alive and this one carried a saddle on his back so that someone was able to ride on him.

When the Pteranodon cleaned himself with his beak under his wings, John crossed his arms satisfied and turned around to Randorn, "Flying huh? Well, at least better than wal-", John said before he got interrupted.

"Hey kid.", it croaked out of the muzzle of the Pterosaur and John turned appalled around, not to believe that the voice really came out of the mouth of this Pterosaur, "I am a CloudRunner and not such a Pterano-thingy!" the dinosaur said slightly nerved. John scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry mister CloudRunner, I totally forgot, that I am not at home anymore.".

"Bygones, but don't call me mister kid. Call me Kyte, just Kyte.", the CloudRunner said friendly like.

"Good then, nice to meet you Kyte, my name is John O'Neil.", he responded friendly and the CloudRunner nodded in agreement. Meanwhile the Bafomdads had lost their angst of the CloudRunner and watched him now curious.

Kyte turned around to Randorn, "So Randorn, why have you called me?".

"As you can see old friend ... ", Randorn started, " ... this village was attacked by the Sharpclaw and this young man ... ", he gestured to John, "... wants to rescue the kidnapped villagers. You know where they congregate, and then go in bigger groups to their fortress. I want you to take him there and help him to rescue them.", Randorn announced.

"Sure I will help him!", Kyte acknowledged, "We won't let the villagers fall into the claws of those malicious beasts!".

John had to smirk again, because of his anticipation, of the possibility to help the villagers sure in time, "Come on, we have to hurry!", said John and clapped his hands.

"Wait John, before you go...", said Randorn, "... take your things with you and also take this for your sword.", he gave John a belt of a bright leather. While John walked with the Bafomdads back to the room with the bed, he tied the belt through the loops in his pants and tied the sheath of his sword at it. When he arrived at the room, he saw his backpack and his MP3-player where his jacket was before.

"Were those things lying there before? I don't think so, Randorn must have brought these things in here somehow.", He thought out loud as he made sure that he had everything with him, his bottle, his food and the adherer with the pictures of his family. He was a bit shocked, he didn't mention that he lost the adherer and he had to be sure that all pictures where still inside. To his luck they still where in, that's why he sighted eased and hung it again around his neck and packed it careful under his cloths, so that it always made contact to his skin. It gave him a safer feeling now that the gold, cold metal touched his skin, reminding him he wasn't alone.

John with his backpack on his back, and the Bafomdads again came out of the house, Kyte was ready to start and bent forward so that John easily could get on his back, but Randorn went into his way, "I have to tell you something important!", he said gravely.

John rose his eyebrow, "If your voice is anything to go by that doesn't sound like good news.".

"You're right, it isn't good.", he answered and his cloak sunk, "I looked around a bit and found the remains of a carriage. That wasn't just any carriage, in this carriage normally the princess is on journeys.", John nodded, "And that's why I assume that the Sharpclaw kidnapped the beloved daughter of the king and I assume as well, that the king will succumb if they threaten to do something to her ... ", he got interrupted by John which voice sounded aggrieved.

"And then they'll get what they want. I understand.".

"They'll put her in an extra cage or prisoner wagon and guard her well. You have to rescue her.", Randorn said with an imperious tone.

"I will!", said John as he nodded. Randorn moved to the side and made room for him.

"I should warn you, the inhabitants of this planet have never seen one of your kind and won't know if they can trust you or not. So don't be aggrieved if they don't thank you like you awaited would expect.", John nodded again, "I understand Randorn. Wish me luck.".

"Good luck on your mission John O'Neil!".

"Before I forget.", John started again, because he remembered his friend Ethan, "Have you ever seen boy like me before?".

"No, I'm sorry John. You are the first one. Why do you want to know?".

"A friend of mine disappeared a long time ago, it could have been that he ended up here.".

John now turned to the CloudRunner, "Jump up John!", Kyte said. John did, as he was told, he jumped into the saddle of the CloudRunner, but before he could say knife the three Bafomdads jumped on the saddle too.

"That is totally out of the question guys. It's too dangerous!", John said slightly annoyed. But the Bafomdads didn't stir from the spot.

"These are Bafomdads John.", Randorn said with his deep voice, "At the beginning they indeed were a bit frightened but if they take someone to their hearts they won't forsake him.".

"Very well then, you win.", John sighed and the three of them jumped on up and crowded him.

"Hold tight back there!", Kyte said a bit louder so that everyone was able to hear him, "We're off!".

With that the five beings began a high speed into the heaven. John asked himself just one question while they advanced, "What did Randorn mean with someone of 'my kind'? In my opinion he looked very human like...".

_**Author note: So finally the next chapter got done, hoped you liked it again and sorry for updating that slowly :(  
**__**Translated with the help of **_XxSanitariumxX


	5. The Ride in the Clouds

**Chapter 5**

**The Ride in the Clouds**

John had to hold himself and the Bafomdads very tight so that they didn't drag out of the saddle of the Cloud Runner, because they flew with great speed into the sky.

When they finally were on a stable height, Kyte said, "You don't have to hold the saddle that tight anymore. The liftoff and the landing are the most exhausting parts for passengers." After Kyte's remark, John mentioned that he wasn't able to fully sit up and had to hold his three friends, but was still able to enjoy the view.

They flew through a partially clouded, but bright, turquoise colored sky which was, for the most part, clear. They sometimes dove into a cloud, which interrupted John's sight. "Are you really sure you know where you're flying?" John asked as a precaution again.

"I grew up on this planet. I can tell one stone from the other," The CloudRunner cawed back.

Under them grew an enormous, barley ending jungle which was divided by single overgrown mountains and canyons. But it was further divided by large and small rivers as well single marks on the landscape, which apparently once were villages and farms. "So, they were here already too," mumbled John while shaking his head. The Bafomdads were careful not to fall off as they examined their homeland rushing by underneath them, somehow a fraction of their original size.

After about half an hour of flying, John grew curious and had to ask Kyte a few things. "Say, Kyte, where are the other CloudRunners? I mean, you aren't the only one on the planet, are you?"

"We are no longer many, only few," he said with an aggrieved voice, his head sagging. "But that's because this planet is not our home world."

"The Sharpclaw?" John asked gently.

"They captured some of my ancestors two hundred years ago from our home world Sauria and moved them here to abuse use us as workers. We didn't put up with that and they tried to destroy us. But most of us escaped, as well as my grandparents." A short break set in. "But there weren't many of us left, so our race is slowly dying. I haven't heard anything from the others a long time ago..."

John was angry and sad at the same time. He was angry that the Sharpclaw had already destroyed lives on other planets and on the other hand he was saddened by the fact that his friend might never see his home world. "Somehow," John said to Kyte to cheer him up, "we'll do this and I'll take you back to your home planet."

"Don't talk foolishly John. How could we do that?" Kyte asked, slightly depressed.

"Somehow they brought your ancestors to this planet: probably with spaceships. And, if there's one left, then I'll take you back home!" John said with a brash smirk.

"Really…? You would do that?" Kyte asked full of anticipation and turned his head as far around as he could to see that John wasn't lying.

"Sure: what else are friends for?" The Bafomdads chirped approvingly to John's statement.

"Now I have to ask you something, John," Kyte stated. He looked again to the front, so as not to loose his almost perfect navigation. "I've never heard of someone like you. I mean, your race is not of this planet or this system, is it?"

"We call ourselves humans and we're probably not even in this galaxy," John speculated.

"How do you get such an idea?" Kyte had to dig deeper.

"Well, on our planet there's only one race that has the ability to talk, and that's us."

"What about people from other planets?" Kyte asked in interest.

"We haven't had the pleasure to have someone visit us yet because we're the only inhabited planet in our system."

"Visit? Why visit? If you really came from another galaxy you should have already met another race that understands you." Kyte was confused now.

"We can't go to other planets. We don't have the technology."

"And how did you come to this planet without your own ship?"

"This sounds crazy, but ..." John drew a deep breath, only to exhale it again, "... I stepped through some kind of a portal and landed here. The portal disappeared after that. I'm likely the first human to ever go to another planet."

Kyte didn't understand anything that John had said. He didn't even try to ask and changed the subject, "Are you able to go back?"

John responded coldly, "I don't know, but to tell the truth, I don't really care."

"I don't understand," Kyte admitted. "You knew that you might not be able to go home and yet you came here anyway? You must be insane!"

"You know, Kyte…" John spoke calmly.

"Huh?"

"On my planet you say your home is where you feel safe and secure. And at the moment I feel that way here, on this planet," he said happily. He knew Kyte wouldn't understand, but he told him anyway. He told him his story about his father, his mother and his grandmother, about the war and the destruction, and about the people that hated him because of his father. That's why he never had friends, except for Ethan. John continued up to the point where he met Kyte. "And that's why I came here. I just couldn't stand it there anymore."

"Now I understand why you were so cold a while ago." John then nodded contently, satisfied with the conversation.

"Why did you react that way… when you saw me a short while ago? And what are these Pterano- things?" Kyte added on.

"Well ..." John scratched pensively at his chin. "...That's kind of hard to say."

"Spit it out, or do I have to shake it out of you?" Kyte asked menacingly as he started to shake in mid-air.

"Ok, ok. This won't make any sense, but there were, on our planet, a race of avian creatures which we called Pteranodon, and they looked just like you."

"So they were CloudRunners too. And what do you mean by 'was'?"

"Now probably comes the hard part. According to our scientists, the whole race got destroyed by an asteroid impact and its aftermath."

"What?" Kyte was noticeably shocked.

"Yes, and this should date back several million years. At that time an ice age occurred, which got rid of the last survivors. Only a few were able to adjust and survive." John had to shake his head sadly. "I'm sorry." You could clearly hear in his voice that he held the deepest sympathy.

"That's really sad!" Kyte spoke, downtrodden.

"On to something else," John started after a while of silence. "Could you answer some more questions? I forgot to ask Randorn some things in the midst of all the excitement."

"Go ahead," Kyte answered with a light undertone of interest in his voice. "I'll try hard to answer your questions."

"Alright first of all, I want to know: where am I? I mean, does this planet have a name? What is it called?"

"It is called Cerinia. It is almost completely covered in thick jungle, except for where the capital of the Cerinians is and where they cultivate their fields. They had to deforest some places and at others there are blooming, gigantic fields of flowers in all colors and sizes. If you survive this you have to catch a look on them," he said with a fascinating tone in his voice. That tone sunk shortly after that. "There are the Sharpclaw where it isn't that bucolic anymore. They burn everything down to get a better control over their territory. Cerinia is, as far I know, the only planet in this system which is inhabited."

"Cerinia? That's a nice name. Against yours, ours is rather wimpy." John was ashamed.

"Is it really that bad?" Kyte asked with empathy.

"Hey, Earth isn't even a good name for a dollop of dirt!"

"Earth? Hah! No wonder you left!" Both had a good laugh. The Bafomdads looked dumbfounded because they didn't exactly know what their friend and the CloudRunner were laughing about.

After the two of them stopped laughing, John continued asking questions. "Those Sharpclaw are actually really dumb, aren't they? How do they run without organization?"

"They have a leader." Kyte answered with a grave voice and again looked onward. "He is called General Scales. He is the most brutal, bloodthirsty, and greedy for power Sharpclaw of all time. He killed his precursor with such ruthlessness that the Sharpclaw talk reluctantly about this subject."

John noticed the tone of his voice, which sounded full of disdain. "So, they establish their leader by killing each other in a duel?" John was beginning to understand.

"Yes, and since Scales is in power they've grown stronger than ever before, and nobody knows how."

John answered him afterwards. "Can you tell me more about Scales? I mean, how he looks and all?" John kept asking.

"I'm sorry; I've never seen Scales before. He's hiding is his dark fortress and making many plans. Rumor has it that he took scientists from other planets and brought them to his prison to do experiments for him and to create help."

"That can't mean anything good," John commentated. "This fortress--where is it?"

"Why do you want to know that, John?"

"We have to rescue all the prisoners, not just the ones from the village, and we also have to rescue the scientist. Scales should't be allowed to end his experiments." John said with a grave tone and expression.

"That's madness John! You will never do it alone," warned Kyte.

"Not alone, no. But, the Cerinians definitely want to rescue their people again, and I know they have the same goal like me."

"Very well then, I'll tell you everything you want to know. But before I do, I want to know the reason and the truth about why you want to help people you do not even know." Kyte asked again with a very exigent look while he was staring at John.

"The reason is simple… "John's voice sank and grew sterner. "I want to help these people so that they won't be as bad off as I am. Ok, they still got each other, but as soon as the Sharpclaw get what they want they'll kill all of them. I can't sit by and twiddle my thumbs while there are dozens of people that deserve to live." After John ended his sentence, tears of emotion came into Kyte's eyes at the thought of an act so selfless that would probably end up costing John's life. The Bafomdads didn't know why he was sad, but tried to comfort him with a soft purr.

"Very well then: you have persuaded me," Kyte started. "Listen well, for I will tell you everything I know. It is not much but maybe you would do good to know it." John nodded. "Their fortress is located on the northern side of the planet in a large prairie. Within several miles all trees had been cut down so that every penetrator would be seen before reaching the fortress. Smoke rises from the fortress continuously because of a need for weaponry and armor. The fortress itself is colossal, protected by thick walls, whereupon guards are patrolling non-stop. On this wall are turrets. They fire explosive spheres which go off on contact. Their only disadvantage is their targeting precision. Admittedly, if one of those projectiles explodes besides you, it's still a bit dangerous. These things make it very difficult to infiltrate. The guards themselves go into the base through the main entrance with a password. I don't know much about the inside of the fortress, only that it is very large and that they keep their prisoners in the jail in the basement. In the middle of the fortress is a tall, large tower and at its top is the throne room and Scales' quarters. But the way to this is protected by hundreds of Sharpclaw. You can't take this way without getting detected. I'm sorry, that is everything I know," Kyte finally ended.

"Thanks: that helped me a lot. Now I can at least understand our situation." John thanked him. "But I could ask you the same thing, Kyte."

"What do you mean?"

"Why have you decided to help me, although you didn't know me at all?"

Kyte had to think. He actually had no reason for it, "Well, Randorn trusted you and that was my reason." Apparently there are still some kind people out there, John thought.

"Now I come to the most importing question." John announced.

"I am listening."

"How do we manage to rescue the princess and the other prisoners without waking up the whole camp?"

"Most of the time the cages got protected by one guard, because they don't anticipate being attacked. It should be easy for you to not make a noise as you are sneaking up from behind and kill the guard with an aimed slash," explained Kyte.

"Good, but the princess's cage will be more guarded than the others. We need a distraction."

"You'll do that cage last. And don't worry about a distraction. I'll fire them up!" Kyte smiled, confident of victory.

John didn't know what he meant by that, but he was sure he could count on his friend. "I'll give you a signal when I've opened all cages," he answered.

"Alright, I'll keep my eyes open," ratified Kyte.

John couldn't do much while he rode aboard the Cloudrunner, so he brought out his MP3-Player and listened to music while he observed the landscape below. He saw numerous animals amidst a blue river and swarms of strange colored birds he had never seen before. They rose of the tree tops as he watched. The atmosphere of the planet had slowly changed from a pleasant azure to a dark green throughout the day. "Great view from here. I sure like my time on this planet," John thought.

John had also remembered to bring along water. Offering some to Kyte, the Cloudrunner refused and said that he had had enough before the trip. John poured some of the water from the bottle into his hand so the Bafomdads could drink, obviously not caring about taking it from his hand.

He enjoyed the wet air every time they flew through a cloud and after some time had passed the Bafomdads started to fall asleep and cuddle up to John and each other. "They're really cute, how they sleep," John again thought.

"How long will it take until we reach our destination?" John asked as the sun slowly lowered to the horizon.

"It will be night when we arrive. You should rest. I will wake you up when we arrive and drop you several hundred meters afar from the camp so our plan won't be ruined before it gets started. "Excellent: then we'll have the element of surprise on our side."

* * *

_**Authors Note: So Chapter 5 is up, and sorry that it is that short, but didn't got any ideas what they could do while flying.  
Chapter 6 is already translated and I'll send it as soon as possible to my Beta Reader.**_

_**So this time translated with the help of **_**DarkInSpace**


	6. The Rescue of the Cerinians

**Chapter 6**

**The Rescue of the Cerinians**

Night fell upon them: the sky was again peppered with stars. "Wake up John!" Kyte cawed to the sleeping boy. When John started to move he began talking again. "We are almost there. I'll go down soon. You see the lights back there? That is their camp!"

And actually, about a mile away, John noticed flickering lights in a clearance in the jungle. He had to try to remember where the flickering light was coming from because he would soon be on the ground again and he wouldn't be able to see the lights.

"Grab your friends!" Kyte warned him. "We are going down!" Kyte shot downwards into a sixty degree angle. John noticed that the landing zone was very small and was nothing more than a big hole in the forest's canopy. If he hadn't closed his jacket before landing, he would've surely lost the Bafomdads. The harder they dove, the harder the Cloudrunner would have to break to prevent them from hitting the ground. This hard breaking action almost pulled John and the Bafomdads out of Kyte's saddle. However, they managed to land safely and dismounted when he bowed down again.

John turned around to Kyte. "As we planned: I'll give you a sign and you'll distract them."

Kyte nodded. "Good luck!"

"I wish you good luck as well. We can do this!" John balled his fist in front of him to show Kyte his will to win.

After that gesture, Kyte ascended into the air to disappear from their view.

After the long flight, John had to stretch his body so that he would be more agile. Before he left, he checked his wounds underneath the bandages. To his regret, they still weren't properly healed and he thought it would be a better idea to keep them on so that the wounds wouldn't get contaminated.

John and the Bafomdads moved alone through the jungle headed in the direction of the Sharpclaw camp and they did their best to not make a noise. To enable him to hold his sword better, John took the bandage off of his head and cut it into two pieces, one for each hand. He then wrapped them carefully around his palms.

It was not an easy journey through the jungle, because John was unable to see where he walked and he had to watch diligently so that he didn't trip or run into a tree. Apparently it had rained there some time ago. The ground was smooth, sticky, and conceded and the leaves of the trees still dripped a bit. After a while, John's eyes started to become accustomed to the darkness, but that only provided an advantage and he was able to recognize silhouettes which were a short distance away. The Bafomdads seemed to be used to this environment. "They grew up in this jungle and already are used to the darkness and the cold," he thought.

When he finally arrived at the camp he hid within the bushes and examined their situation and enemies. It just looked how it was described to him by Randorn and Kyte. The prison wagons stood a bit aloof of the camp and there only patrolled about two to three guards, the rest of them were gathered around a bonfire drunk or tussled with his comrade for a haunch of meat.

But John wasn't able to see who was in the wagons because the sides were made up of four wooden walls from top to bottom. There was a small space on the top and so the prisoners wouldn't escape, wooden grates were installed. The guards were exactly as they had been described to John: they were about his size and didn't look very strong. They looked very similar to the bigger ones though. Besides that their facial features looked more like a lizard than a dinosaur. Essentiality they were just shorter than the bigger ones and as John saw they were only equipped with wooden clubs and small axes. They wore armor as well but it didn't look as solid as the armor of the elite warriors.

John was able to count about twenty men, so a direct attack was out of the question. "Who knows how many of them are still in the area near here." First, he examined the camp and took note of where his enemies were and how he could evade them. He also found a wagon filled with stolen weapons. They were just thrown into an open compartment so anyone had direct access to them. Among them were meter long swords with bright hilts and blued, glimmering blades, spears or lances with long metallic shafts and staffs with blue, ball-shaped crystals on their head and another crystal that was on the other end, and another weapon which tapered to some kind of pike. John didn't know why they left those weapons lying around for everyone to see, although they apparently were much better than their own ones. But, that just was all right with him.

And then John saw just what he wanted to see: a single carriage which was protected by two elite warriors. "She must be in there. Ok, I'm going to start by rescuing the prisoners. The three of you will wait here, it's too dangerous!" John whispered in a strict tone and the three Bafomdads let their ears droop. He tore his white glimmering sword from of its sheath.

John managed to sneak up to a guard, which had dared to move to close to the bushes they were hiding in. John saw that no one was looking in their direction and when he turned around John jumped silently out of hiding, kept the muzzle of the Sharpclaw closed with his hands, and pushed with his other hand his sword into the back of the enemy. He yelled for a short time, but the scream was suppressed by the hand on his mouth.

It was a strange feeling: he had erased a life which was close in comparison to a human one. John felt sorrow for what he had done. When he noticed that the Sharpclaw fallen in his direction, John grabbed him and pulled him into the nearby bushes. "They are fathomless evil. It doesn't help if you just incapacitate them, you have to destroy them otherwise no one is saved." He remained hidden for a short while and awaited a chance to repeat his previous actions. But he came to the decision that there was no other choice. "One down, two to go," John thought out loud.

While he was waiting for the next guard to grow careless, he examined his sword. On its blade was a yellow, liquid mass that slowly got rejected from the metal, ran down the side and dripped down to the ground.

The second guard got careless and John continued like before. The only difference was that this guard was a bit heavier than the one before. John managed to drag this corpse into the bushes.

The third guard was easier to kill, he seemed to be drunken. He was already headed in John's direction and he was quickly dispatched. John just had to hide them now. Because it was fall, the leaves fell on the ground providing a nice cover.

"Now comes the tricky part," John thought. He thought up a plan to finish the situation, and within moments he knew what to do. John moved out of hiding, which was the shadow of the wagon. Because he wasn't unable to see if someone was sitting in there, he knocked lightly against the wooden panel and awaited an answer.

John heard nothing.

He knocked again, but this time a bit harder and more numerous so that he was heard by the occupants. They knocked back.

"Good, so they are still alive." Now he searched the wagon for a door. Finally he found it on one of the wagon's shorter walls. John held the blade of his sword against the lock, activated the crystal at his grip end, cut through the lock, deactivated the crystal again, and opened the door. Luckily the activation of the crystal hadn't made much noise, so the remaining guards weren't able to hear it.  
He wasn't able to see much. He saw how some silhouettes sat or stood in the small wagon opposite to him at the wall. They moved a little. They were afraid of him.

"I don't want to hurt you. I'm here to help you," he whispered a bit louder.

They still didn't move.

"They don't trust me. What can I do to assure them...? Maybe…?" He stepped back a bit from the opened door and gave the people a hand signal that told them they should come out of the wagon and run into the forest. Then he snuck away and went to the next carriage.

While he was walking to it, he turned around to make the prisoners really fled. He saw the human-like shapes of the people disappear into the forest. While they were shortly exposed by the far away light of the campfire John was able to see something. "A tail?" John saw something long and fluffy, which grew right below their hips out of their backs. "Whatever, that's not relevant now. I still have to rescue the others."

He went to the carriage, knocked and waited for an answer, and he heard a knock back.  
This time he had a problem, they were on the side facing the campfire and John wasn't able to open the lock without being seen. "Oh well," he thought to himself. "Hopefully they'll move away from the wall when I start." He pulled his sword, pushed the crystal and cut slowly, but fast too, from the top to the bottom a loop into the back of the carriage. Shortly after that he placed a second and a third cut and cut a four-sided hole into the wall. John caught the wall and quickly laid it silently on the ground. After that he moved away and the people immediately were able to flee into the forest.

So he proceeded with every carriage. Between each carriage he would have to hide because a drunken guard would head in his direction. Luckily they turned a short while after and didn't notice the escape of the prisoners.

After John had finished six more wagons, there was only one left: the one that held the princess close to the campfire. Protected by those big and brutal lizards. John thought of how he could give Kyte a sign without being detected himself. Then he remembered his sword and the thickness of the jungle's canopy. If he could reach the top of a tree, he could use the sword's aura to let Kyte know that he could start with the distraction. The only problem was that he couldn't climb trees. The only things he was able to climb were ropes.

While John thought of a way to climb one of the trees, he remembered the Bafomdads. "I've got it! Could you guys help me climb a tree?" They looked at him questioningly. "What I meant was: could you find some way to help me get to the top of the tree?" The Bafomdads cheerfully chirped as they began clambering up the side of a large tree. Moments later a vine fell down to John that had bite marks on the end.

He climbed slowly but surely up the green vine, arriving on the crown of the tree, and was greeted by his friends. John had to take a breath and recover. He struggled too much and now his wounds at his knees and elbows had cracked open again and started to bleed once more. He would ignore them until later. He had to end his mission first. He drew his sword, activated the crystal again, and swung the sword for several seconds in circular movements over his head. He then deactivated the aura. "Kyte should have understood that." John went back to the vine, took his friends in his arm, and let the four of them slowly down.

Arriving on the ground he watched closely as to what happened. John saw for a short time a shadow brushing over the camp which set everything alight around him. "Kyte? So that was what he meant when he said he would fire them up."

And the distraction actually worked. John saw several excited and screaming Sharpclaw warriors, which caught fire, running around in despair trying to choke the fire near them and on them out with their hands until they finally died down and didn't move anymore. As he passed, Kyte hit one of the elite warriors, who ran screaming away from his post and another one ran after him to help him to extinguish the fire. "Now is my chance." John ran straight to the carriage, and drew his sword while running with marathon-like sprints before stopping. He cut the lock on the door and shortly ripped it open. When he watched inside the carriage, he saw a small figure in front of him, but just was able to see a silhouette in the darkness.

"_Tie haw nu_?" Accosting him in a strange language was a soft, but frightened voice of a girl he knew all too well.

"Pardon me?" John didn't understand her language.

"Who are you?" She changed her language so that he was able to understand her. He noticed her British accent but didn't hesitate to answer.

"My name is John O'Neil. I am here to rescue you, your majesty. Randorn sent me!" He answered hastily.

"Randorn?" She asked, puzzled.

John continued. "We have to hurry, the guards might notice..." John had to jump to the side as the princess grew frightened and screamed. In that moment a basketball sized morning-star with flattened, blunt needles hit the door of the carriage and catapulted it into the darkness of the night. It was one of the elite warriors who guarded the carriage. He was slightly off-put but seemed to be unhurt.

"Wait inside: princess!" John shouted into the wagon. "I have to finish this one first!" He turned into the direction of the warrior. John, who still held his swords in his hands, moved a safe distance away from his enemy because he had a big attack radius with his morning-star.

"It can't go on like that," John thought. "If I don't finish this one soon, he'll get back-up and then our plans would be ruined."He had no other choice: he had to dispose of his enemy and attack him with his weapon. John feinted until his enemy finally through his weapon his way and John was able to cut it off with one hit. He struck out with a horizontal slice and John thrust into the direction of the hit. He held his sword in the position where the chain of the morning-star should have been. Shortly before the weapon hit him, he activated the aura of the sword. He felt a minimum of resistance after he cut through the chain and then felt a massive pain in his left leg. The detached head of the weapon had indeed nicked his leg, but it was large enough that it broke it. John screamed as if someone ripped his heart out of his chest. The Sharpclaw, indeed a bit confused as to why his weapon was all of a sudden much lighter and shorter than the second before, erupted into a derisive laughter and yelled his laugh into the sky. But his laughter was his downfall because John still had the power to fight. He stood close enough to his enemy that he rammed the blade of his sword into the chest armor and tore it as high as he could to kill him. The yellow blood flowed in streams out of the clean wound and after the enemy let out his last breath he couldn't believe that he died, he turned over backwards and hit the ground hard. John knew that else wise he had killed him.

He had an unbearable pain in his leg and had to find something to support himself with. He put his sword back into its sheath and hobbled over to the dead enemy. He opened the claw which still held the long handle of the weapon and used it as a bearer that he pinched under his left armpit. After that he went as fast as possible to the carriage, where the princess was hopefully still inside. "Majesty, you may come out. The enemy has been defeated." John gasped in pain.

* * *

_**Authors note: So, a bit action and violence in this chapter again.  
I have nothing special to say, I just hope that you liked it.  
Thanks again to **_**DarkInSpace**_**for correcting my English**_


	7. The Capital City

**Chapter 7  
The Capital City**

When the princess came out of the carriage, there indeed stood a kid in front of John, but not a human one, and very young. She indeed had the build of a human and there were some features that were animalistic. She was like a cat, with a muzzle like a fox. She had two big eyes. Two eyes—like he had seen before—that were graced with a turquoise iris. Now John knew she was the one who asked for help... in that dream.

The girl had a cat-like black nose and wore over her brow a silver tiara that held a green jewel in the middle, which disappeared into the strands of her hair. Her face was covered with a short, white fur and preceded after that into a dark blue like her hair. She had shoulder-length dark blue hair which was held together by a silver circlet. Her hair covered all of her brow besides the part that showed the jewel. She also had two fox-like blue ears, whose auricles were filled with a white fluffy fur.

The front side of her throat, which John was able to see, was also covered with white fur down to her bosom. She wore a half long, sleeveless, brown-golden dress without any decoration. Her arms were covered in a short, dark-blue fur, and she had on both of her upper arms, halfway up, a ring-like, white tattoo. Her hands were very similar to human ones, besides the fact that they were also covered in blue fur and grew longer, white finger nails.

Like the shadows of the other Cerinians, a tail grew out of her waist. Her tail was about the length of her upper body and the fur on it was also very fluffy, started in a dark-blue, and finally ended up in white. Her tail was also divided by two silver rings into three equal sized parts.

The short part of her legs that he was able to see was also covered with blue short fur. She also had two dark-blue, fur covered feet and stood in a pair of bronze sandals. Her feet indeed had the form of human ones, but she had only three fox-like toes with silver lacquered toe-nails.

She watched behind John and examined the dead Sharpclaw. "Is he ...?" She tried to ask a question.

"Yeah, he's dead. He can't do anything to you anymore." His leg got to him, which was clearly noticeable in his voice. "We have to get away from here; there are still many Sharpclaw in the environment."

"How do I know that I can trust you?" She asked cheekily.

"That's a good question: probably because I haven't tried to kill you, yet." The princess stepped back and made an angry and threatening facial expression. John had to laugh: "Don't worry, if I was here to do something to you, I would have done it already." He smiled. "I'll introduce myself. I am John O'Neil and am at your service majesty." John bowed down as far as his injury allowed him to demonstrate respect for the princess.

A rustle was heard behind the bushes and the three Bafomdads jumped to John and snuggled against him and purred in happiness that he was alright. The princess was startled and gave a short scream at the sudden appearance, but managed to cover her muzzle with her hands.

He kneeled down as far as possible to pet his friends. "And these are my three friends." He pointed to the Bafomdads with his right arm. After that they turned around to her. Her fear quickly became happiness, which also migrated to her face. Even John could definitely see that.

"Bafomdads? They are so cute!" She said with a voice full of awe and the three rabbits jumped squeaking to her. The princess knelt down to hug the three of them at the same time. After their short greeting she stood up again and looked happily into John's eyes: "I'm princess Krystal of Cerinia. It is a delight to meet you Mister O'Neil."

"Just call me John."

"Good, John. How did you know about my capture?"

"First of all, a man named Randorn told me that you were in danger." The ears of the princess rose in curiosity. "Second, I had a dream about you." Now she made a slightly confused physiognomy. "I don't know how, but I heard you and then that monster. That's how I knew someone was in trouble and Randorn just confirmed my suspicion."

"What is your plan? How have you planned to get me out of here?"

"I actually thought that my friend would come for us, but he is not coming."

"Could you even count on him?" She asked bluntly.

"Hey, he made the distraction, and he burned some of our enemies after all."

"Well, where's he got to—" Krystal drew in a breath. "Watch out behind you John!"

John turned around and from behind him came four Sharpclaw, ready to attack him. Shortly after that, more appeared and surrounded and zeroed in on the princess, the Bafomdads and John.

"We're surrounded! Krystal, come quickly!" John pulled his sword and was ready to fight.

"But you're still injured!" Krystal reaffirmed.

"That won't interest them much. My friends, you have to protect the princess!" The three Bafomdads understood and formed a protection circle around her, with their ears upstanding and a quiet, high threatening growl.

Already the first two Sharpclaw attacked John. He activated the sword aura and killed them with two quick and targeted strokes to their upper body parts. The sword's aura expired stupidly after that. "Darn, I overdid it!" John spoke in an angry tone. "Now we've got a problem princess!" He yelled to her without turning around. "Come on! What are you waiting for you damned lizards! Come and get me!" He swung his sword threateningly into their direction.

Shortly after he ended his sentence, the enemies dropped their weapons in fear and ran for their lives as they disappeared into the darkness.  
"I don't look that threatening! Are you alright princes—" John turned around and saw now why the Sharpclaw had taken flight. In front of the princess stood thirty men, Cerinian soldiers, protecting and threatening, in armor, with their weapons pointed in John's direction. Their armors looked not unlike a knight's; they were a white metallic alloy and glowed slightly. The armor was made up of corset, on whose forefront and rearward portions was seen a different archetype on every single soldier. They were braces on their upper and lower arms, armor-plated trousers, cuisses, and armored boots. They didn't wear any helmets.

John saw that they all had the features of foxes and as far as he could see they were all male, but they had, like Krystal, bigger eyes in a blue tone. Some of them were similar to the Indians, with ragged, white tattoos on their faces. Basically they had lines that were drawn off and on and they also had an arrow tattooed onto their cheeks. They had the same fur color scheme as Krystal, but their faces were overgrown with blue fur. Some of them had a white stripe on their brow, which reached to the backside of their heads. That stripe was thin and acute at the front, and became a bit thicker in the middle before gradually growing thinner at the opposite end. The tail of the male Cerinians was more scrubby and tousled than the one from Krystal, and protruded from the rear of their armor. They looked mad and vengeful to John and growled a bit.

John mentioned that the Sharpclaw were no danger anymore, but the Cerinian soldiers could possibly attack him. He thought it would be better to put his sword away to finally show that he was no enemy. He came to help the Cerinians.

"_Ta schu tumaruk!_"One of the soldiers, who appeared to be their leader, spoke.

"Sorry, but I don't understand you."John answered and pointed with his unused hand to his ear. But the soldier didn't understand him and prepared to attack. John also put his right hand on the grip of his sword. The Bafomdads grew frightened and hid themselves behind John.

"_So gate ne grom!_" A voice within the crowd spoke and the soldier ceased his actions and turned around. The crowd dispersed, showing Krystal. "_Te mak no jemisch to namtak se Sharpclaw. U te ne sai tes?_" The soldier first bowed in front of her and then again to John. Then the princess spoke to John. "Please excuse this soldier; he thought you were a member of the Sharpclaw army. He just wanted to protect me." John bowed to the soldier to show that he accepted his apology. "Now please give my men your weapon and the rest of your things. They'll hold them and we will then ride back to our capital city. You are our guest John. Before we leave, two of my men will tend to your leg."

The soldiers didn't look like they wanted to help him. Not until Krystal ordered them with a hand sign did two of them move toward John. The soldiers held onto their weapons, ready to draw at any time. John uncoiled his belt that held the sword's sheath and gave the sword to the first soldier. Then he took his backpack with his MP3-Player from his back and gave it to him also. The second soldier showed John with his hand that he should sit down on a log and he did. He built John a splint for his leg so he could walk. After he finished, John stood and tested the splint. Despite its poor appearance, it was noticeably robust, but his wound still ached quite a bit.

After his short inspection, the soldier ordered John with another waving of his hand to follow him into the jungle. John followed him, the little rabbits at his side, through the jungle. Because of the splint, he was not as agile as his leader and had to take detours quite often to by-pass a big rock or a stump.

After several hundred meters of distance, they reached a clearing where horse-like, furred animals, with a saddle on their back grazed. Some of them were tied to a carriage. To his amazement, the CloudRunner Kyte waited in the distance for the other people.

Some of the Cerinian civilians just went into the carriages, but when they saw John, they ran.  
"I told you that we'd make it. And you didn't even get a scratch. You really gave them hell," said John happily when he reached him. The Bafomdads greeted Kyte.

"The darkness gave me the needed cloak. They didn't know what was happening to them! Yes, I am all right, but you don't look that good," he mentioned and pointed with his beak to his broken leg.

"That's just a scratch. I'll be okay in no time!" John made a snide hand movement towards his wound. "Hey, where did you learn to spit fire?" John asked, curious.

The answer came relatively sedate. "I don't know. As per our eldest almost everyone of our home world could do that."

"Could you bring me to the capital city of the Cerinians? I feel uneasy about those mounts."

"That's why I am here! The Cerinians only had enough carriages for the soldiers, the civilians, and the princess. I am here so that no one has to walk and slow down the rest of us."

Because everyone wasn't ready, John and Kyte had to wait. John sat down in the soft grass and Kyte sat beside him while the Bafomdads played a bit on his back. A while passed and John watched his new environment and the soldiers with their animals. They never lost sight of him. When he looked around, he saw that at least one pair of eyes watched him and their heads turned away as soon as eye contact was made.

When the leader gave the sign that they were ready to leave, John stand up once more and climbed onto the back of Kyte and onto the saddle. He held the Bafomdads tight again. When all of them were ready, Kyte lifted off and the others started moving.

Meanwhile, the sunrise had started and John grew very tired. On one hand, it was because he was up all night and fought. On the other hand, it was because his wound hurt him badly. John again was able to enjoy the landscape. Behind them, where they had started a short while ago, a dark cloud was raining on the fresh battlefield. In front of them was the orange morning sun in a cloud free heaven.

From time to time, John would look down to see if the Cerinians were still there, but because of the thick canopy of leaves he barely saw any kind of sign. When they rode through a clearance, he saw that the soldiers had made a circular defense around the princess and the civilians to protect them if necessary. Their formation changed every once in a while and was suited to the terrain that was around them. The circle turned then into a square when they reached hills or turned to an arrow when they crossed a river. Their situation often demanded that from them. Only the princess and the former inhabitants stayed in the middle of the formation. The princess always sat upstanding and protected by her own private army.

This flight took longer than the last one, John thought. In doing so he totally forgot that he had slept during the last flight in the middle of the night.

When they paused on their journey to feed the animals and serve water, John noticed that the soldiers watched him yet again. They evidently thought that John was some kind of a monster, because every time their eyes met, they turned away. He couldn't understand them, but Kyte would sometimes translate what they said so that he was up to speed.

Princess Krystal was totally shielded from Kyte and John. They didn't trust them and that's how they showed it.

"Since when do you actually speak the Cerinian tongue?" John asked Kyte one time.

"You know," he started. "We CloudRunners have lived in the Capital City since we escaped Scales. There we gained asylum from the King. However, a conflict between us and the Cerinians broke out and so we left the city to be able to live on in peace."

"I see. That's why they stay away from you. Why did you have a conflict with them?"

"Back then I was a child, but I remember the reason. The populace thought that we would eat too much of their food and we wouldn't spare anything for them. We tried hard only to eat the most necessary, not to bedevil the population. But they didn't believe us and so we had to leave. Since then our peoples have never had anything in common until this day."

"It's horrible that people argue and only think of themselves. It wasn't that different at my place." John shook his head.

"I don't care about what happened, but the Cerinians still judge us for that. I hope they will change their thoughts about us soon."

John fell asleep for a while.

It was afternoon when they arrived at the fields of the capital city. It was a big and wide area, where corn-like plants with very big, almost cherry-sized kernels grew. He watched the farmers at work and the farmers watched them. It appeared that they had never seen a CloudRunner before.

Finally the capital city came into view. In front of them stood a gigantic complex, surrounded by huge, grey-white walls. The first thing he saw within the city was the palace, which stood in the center of the city. It was made up of the grayish-white stone too. Every hundred meters stood a tower for defensive purpose. On these towers stood gadgets which strongly resembled turrets that had decorations similar to Krystal's tattoos. John saw guards patrolling the towers and walls. "I think it's better if you land outside of the city. The people could get deranged if they saw CloudRunner with a stranger and Bafomdads on his back landing in the middle of the city." John explained to Kyte.

"I guess you're right. It arguably is the better way." Kyte validated.

They landed at the same time as the riders on their horses and the carriages arrived at a big gate which was at least as high as the wall and was totally made up of a blue-white glistening metal. John could identify some symbols on the gate, but he didn't know what they meant. He dismounted along with the Bafomdads and bid farewell to his friend. "Bye for now Kyte."

"See you soon." Kyte soon soared into the air and disappeared on the horizon.

John turned around to the soldiers, who still watched him suspiciously. They opened the door with a touch of their hand. After their leader touched it, it grew covered by hundreds of blue bright lines and it opened slowly but steadily.

When the gate stood open, John let the carriages, the soldiers, and the princess pass first and hobbled after everyone when they passed him with the Bafomdads on his back. John now stepped onto a paved road, which superseded the previous dirt road.

He saw, in almost every house close to the gate, kids, parents, and elders, who moved to greet the princess, the soldiers, and the civilians heartily. Some buildings were covered with a white metal and they looked futuristic, unlike like the cottages back at the village. Many of the buildings had a trapezoidal construction and were built in different sizes. Like other buildings, they had windows too and on their sills often stood flowers. They passed trees that were just a few meters high with umbrella cuts

Now John clearly saw the differences between the male and female Cerinians. The women were a bit smaller than the men and had the same outline as human women. In contrast to the males, they were cat-like in features, but they still looked definitely like foxes. Most of the women had shoulder length hair. They also wore trousers or short skirts most of the time and for it a matching top. Their cloths had a blue and white tone often.

In order to remain unseen, he stayed in the shadow of the archway and watched for a moment. Everyone was happy. Even the soldiers finally showed some emotion and seemed to be happy to be home. Everyone was happy and laughed. John didn't want to interrupt that gleeful moment with his appearance and his strange look, but shortly after he ended that thought he was already located by one of the citizens. The voices of the occupants fell silent when they saw a being that looked similar to them, but walked with a splint along with three Bafomdads. The younger foxes grew frightened and hid behind the older ones, but still watched from their cover. The boys often wore a shirt and trousers made of cloth and the girls, also like the older ones, had small cat-like features, wore either dresses or like the boys a shirt, but with a skirt.

Krystal climbed from her mount and walked to John's direction. After a few steps she stopped again, raised her arm, and pointed with her finger at John. "_He tes nem ku ha deno Sharpclaw. He sa men nu opoko_." She said to her people and mumbling started. Then she turned to John's direction and the mumbling hushed. "I will order one of our inhabitants to bring you to our hospital: there, one of our doctors will take care of you." John bowed thankfully.

After that, an inhabitant came over to him and showed him with his hand that he should follow him. He picked up his backpack and followed.

* * *

_**Author notes: Well yeah, they arrived at the capital city and John got again the feelings like on his home planet. Let's see what the future will bring ^^**_

_**Translation with the help of **_**DarkInSpace**

_**And before I forget, the following chapters will be much longer (about 7k words more or less)**_

_**Hope you had fun at reading ^^**_


	8. Sefilia the Doctor

**Chapter 8**

**Sefilia the Doctor**

John noticed that they didn't take the normal way as they walked through dark alleys between the buildings. It was probably so that John wouldn't be seen by the inhabitants. John's leader was also nervous: he just walked in front of him and didn't want to look at him or talk to him. The alleys were clean, but also dark enough so that he didn't see where he was walking.

After about ten minutes of walking, they reached a large building that was made up of several white cupolas. To reach the buildings inside they had to leave the alleyway and walk over the bright street. Several seconds after they walked into the light—which fell onto the street—the mumbling of the pedestrians started again and when John turned around to them they looked away or hid behind various things in the area. He started to ignore them.

When they reached the entrance John noticed that the main door opened automatically upwards and didn't get pushed as at home.

They stood now in a white hallway, which was crossed by black rills on the ground, the walls, and even the ceiling. The Cerinian who brought John there went to the receptionist's desk which was close to the entrance at the wall and talked there to a nurse. After this short talk he led John crossways through the hospital to the supposed last room in the whole building. He stalled in front of a door, which appeared sunken in the wall and he opened it with a touch of his hand. It was like the main gate before, but this time it slid to the side. John was to go inside. Then he finally did he found himself in a midsized room again. There were several shelves, full and empty, two chairs, and a flat bed without a cover and only with a pillow, with a strange long gadget over it.

When he stepped into the room, the door closed behind him. Now he was caught, but that made no odds for him. A doctor or a nurse wasn't in, so he decided to sit down on one of the chairs, to put his backpack down and to wait with the Bafomdads on his lap for the hospital staff.

Much time passed, at least John thought so. He thought about how his story on this planet kept going. If he finds more friends and if he could talk and laugh like with the Bafomdads and Kyte before he thought about how he could solve the problem of the language differences.

His silent thinking but was interrupted by the opening of the door. A women doctor stepped in, she was about John's age and wore a long, white doctor's overall, white sandals, and was a bit smaller than John. The woman doctor had brighter fur than Krystal and long bright blue hair, with bright blue eyes, and just as Krystal, she had a very plushy tail that was the length of her upper body, but hers was brighter and not divided by rings. As the other Cerinian women, she looked like a fox with cat-like features in her face. Again, her fur in her face had much more blue, which partially colored her cheeks and her forehead. Her sharp fingernails were white.

But there was something else: John felt a warm and kindly feeling.

Anyway she appeared a bit irritated by his presence and held with slightly shuddering hands a gadget tight. It was a small nub-sized item.

"She's in some way pretty," John thought.

He thought it would be better to stand up slowly and back on his rake. The doctor watched John a bit. She eyeballed his face, interested, his whole body, and then the wound at his leg. Then she looked into John's eyes. It wasn't a look like the other Cerinians that watched at him. It definitely wasn't fraught with anguish and fear. She looked at him like she was searching for something.

After another moment she was completely different and she grew calmer. Somehow she knew that he wouldn't do anything to her.

She pointed with her hand at her ear and shook her head, questioning. John nodded. The doctor assigned John to sit down again and approached slowly to him. He sat down on the chair and she bowed forward and pressed the nub behind John's ear.

"Can you read me?" A soft, friendly voice asked.

"What? But—how did you do that?" John was speechless.

The Cerinian woman giggled a bit. "Hi... That gadget was specially developed to talk and understand our language."

"So that's why! Why weren't you actually, like the other Cerinians, afraid of me?"

"Don't always call me 'you', I am always feeling old. My name is Sefilia Wolferos, but just call me Sefilia." John nodded. "Well then Sefilia, my name is John O'Neil, but you can just call me John if you want." John shook hands with her. Her hand was smaller than his and was covered with a very filmy, short, and blue fur.

"I knew that you are kind, because I read your mind."

"Mind-reading?"

"Yes, mind-reading. This ability is abundant in our nation, but was given to few. It's the reading of others minds, or by another name, telepathy," she explained.

"So, mind-reading, can the princess do that too?"

"How did you know?"

"Well, I got this wound," he pointed at his leg, "While I was on a mission to rescue her and the others of your nation. She did something similar to what you did, she just called for help. A person named Randorn asked me to help her."

"You rescued the princess and met Randorn? The hermit and mage?" She was uneasy at his answer and she had to sit down on the other chair close to him so she didn't fall.

"I don't know if he is a hermit, but he was able to perform some kind of magic. He defeated a huge Sharpclaw with a single hit and tended me while I was heavily injured."

"How was he?"

"He was very calm and strict, but very patient and kind too, because he gave me a sword that was made in one of your forges and explained to me how to use it," John answered. "What is it about Randorn? I mean what is so special about him?" he asked in a curious manner.

Sefilia was a bit shocked, but she soon remembered that he was a stranger and didn't know almost anything about their planet. "He once helped our king. He appeared out of nowhere and no one knew what he looked like. Always when we needed help, he came, but recently no one has heard a thing of him," Sefilia explained.

John looked at the floor as he assimilated the latest events. "He told me that he was pretty old and not the fittest anymore. Maybe he is just waiting for the right moment, the moment that he could give the Sharpclaw the deciding blow. Anyway, he sent me, but he didn't accompany me."

"You rescued the princess on your own?"

"Barely. I had help from my three friends here," he smiled a bit as he pet the Bafomdads, "And of a CloudRunner named Kyte."

"A CloudRunner?" she asked, untrusting.

Now John looked up again in her direction. "Yes, a CloudRunner. He made a plan so that I was able to free the princess. Stupidly, one of the elite warriors noticed me and in the ensuing fight I got hurt."

"You kept fighting and you won?"

"Well, at the end I was really in trouble. We were encircled by a troop of Sharpclaw and almost were goners, but then the reinforcements arrived. They rescued us in the end. Anyway, the princess trusted me, without asking any questions," John finally ended.

"Yes, our princess is very kind-hearted and knows who she can trust." Sefilia said. "But back to the present: the people were afraid of you?"

"Yeah: it's probably because I don't look like you. I've got no fur, ne ears like you, and no tail," but before he was able to end his listing, Sefilia interrupted him.

"What about you John? Weren't you afraid of our people when you saw them the first time?"

John shook his head. "Not really. On one hand, a talking pterosaur, which died out on my home planet a million years ago, giant lizards that walk on two legs, and the TV prepared me for that. But in actuality, I don't care how people look. Either they're kind or at least leave me alone."

Sefilia had to giggle when she heard how he explained the creatures he met. "It's the same thing for me, I just watch the heart. I can read their minds after all and always can see what the people are thinking and how they are." She tapped lightly with her right forefinger on her head. But there was still another question: "What is TV? I've never heard that word before."

"What is TV?" John repeated. "That's a good question: it's not that easy to explain without sounding too stupid," John thought out loud.

"You don't have to now, I can just ask you again later." She answered to his thoughts.

"Okay, then, just ask me later."

She stood up again. "Now, please lay down on the bed." Sefilia pointed to the bed with the strange gadget over it, which John had already noticed before. He stood up, went over to it, and laid down. "I'll scan your body now and check it for other fractures in your bones." She pushed buttons that were attached to the wall. Shortly after that a blue beam shot out of the gadget in the roof and went one time over his entire body, and then it disappeared again. "The scan has finished," Sefilia said. "You can sit up now and look at this." Again, Sefilia pushed some buttons and a picture of John's skeleton appeared on the wall.

"That's interesting," she mumbled. "Your skeleton looks very similar to ours. Just look at this." A second skeleton appeared on the wall. It was very similar to a human one, but it had three toes per foot, a tail instead of a tailbone, and a fox-like skull.

"You are wondering why I have a skeleton that looks a lot like yours." John said.

"That's right. I looked closer at your skeleton, but didn't found anything strange besides your broken leg."

"How does it look? Will I be able to walk without a crutch again?" John asked Sefilia.

"It's just a basic fracture. You should be able to walk again with the right therapy in about a week," she answered.

"A week? At my place it took about two months for something like that to be cured."

"Well, our medicine must be better than yours."

"That's true," John had to admit. "But not only is your medicine is better, but everything else is too. Today, when I reached the city, I saw things that are pure fiction on my world. For example, energy weapons that your soldiers—"

"You mean the staffs and swords?" She interrupted him.

"Yes those. We only fought projectile weapons made of metal. Something like that would probably change our whole planet!"

"Then just beg the king to allow you to take some back," Sefilia told him.

"No, that wouldn't be wise."

"Why not?" She asked out of curiosity, looking at him.

"Not everyone of my race is as kind as me. Should this technology get into the wrong hands, my whole planet could be wiped out," John conceded, depressed, while he examined the two pictures on the wall, "I never want to go back. I like it over here and maybe I could make real friends if your people start to know me better."

"You didn't have friends on your home planet?"

"The only friend I had," he lowered his voice, clearly, and it grew sadder, "Disappeared one day at a lake, while he was swimming. His body was never found."

She went to his side and laid her left hand onto his right shoulder, to console him a bit. "That's really sad," she said with a depressed voice.

"That's true. Anyway, I assumed that he landed here like me. But I asked Randorn if he had ever seen any other human before me. He didn't and when I saw how the people reacted to me I knew they didn't have a clue what I was. I knew that it wasn't like I hoped it was." A short break set in, which the both of them spent quietly.

John couldn't endure the silence anymore and wanted to come to other theme. He started talking again. "Then there was music. It gave me power and courage to keep on living that life, until the point when I found the portal to this world." Sefilia looked questioningly at him. "It's probably best that I give you a short version of my story so that you understand," he retorted to her.

"You don't have to bother telling me all of it," she said sheepishly.

"Hey, that's not a problem. I don't really have anything to do. Just tell me when it's getting boring, then I'll just stop, and if you want I'll go on with it anytime you like."

He looked at her and smirked as she nodded, "That's not a problem for me, either."

So John told her his story like he did to Kyte.

As before, she had to laugh about the name of John's home world, but he didn't care.

The most interesting thing for Sefilia was the fact that all humans were furless, unlike the Cerinians, but had to cover themselves with fur of other animals.

When he finished he just added, "Now you maybe can imagine why I am here and not at home."

"Your father was a commander in an army and that's why everyone hated you?"

"That's right. That's how it was. And since I've come here, I finally have friends again." He looked down at the Bafomdads, which had cuddled up to his healthy leg.

"You have to be very thirsty. I'll bring you a tea, just wait a minute and sit down." Sefilia said.

"Thanks, I am actually really thirsty."

Sefilia left the room and John sat down and thought a bit of her.

"She's really kind and courteous. Maybe she likes me. But maybe it's just an act. I'm not a Cerinian either. But if she's just acting, then she is really good at it. She doesn't act upon me, as she would be really good in that aspect."

Shortly after that Sefilia was back in the room, with two warm cups of tea in her hands. She gave one of them John and then she sat down next to him. It was a warm, bright red, but still un-transparent liquid inside the white cups.

"And how does our tea taste to you?" she asked shortly after he made the first gulp.

He raised an eyebrow. "It's good! I don`t know what's in it, but it is good!"

"I'm glad to hear it, I made that tea myself." She happily closed her eyes and smiled softly.

"If you weren't a doctor, you would be a great tea seller." They both had to laugh a bit.

"Tell me John, you don't know where you could stay, do you?" Sefilia asked, after the both of them had drunken the tea. "The way people looked at me, they sure don't want to have me in their houses."

"How about you stay at my place as long as you don't have a place for yourself?" she asked, hopeful. "I don't want to cause any trouble. I slept the past few days under trees and it was ok, but if you want me to come with you, I will."

"That's nice. I actually just had to care for you and my working day would have been finished. I'll just take care of your wound and then we can go. Just put the cup on the stacker over there."

"Very well then." John said and put the cup away.

"Please lay down on the bed again. I have to clean your wound, put new bandages on it, and also put a salve on." John lay down on the bed and let Sefilia take care of his wound. It hurt quite a bit, but he didn't mind.

When she was finished, John had a clean white bandage wrapped around his left leg and an iron, blue splint as relief attached to it. He didn't need his old crutch anymore, because Sefilia gave a new one to him. It was also made up of blue metal and she put the other into the corner of the room.

John shouldered his backpack and then the both of them left the room and walked side by side down the hallway.

"Won't your parents be mad at you when you suddenly bring a stranger into your house without asking them?"John asked Sefilia. "No, my mother died back when I was young of an unknown illness. That's why I became a doctor, to cure all diseases so that no one has to sustain a destiny like mine." Tears climbed into her eyes.

"That's a very honorable thing to do. What about your dad?" John wanted to know, to change the subject.

"My father was a doctor as well and that's why he was kidnapped by the Sharpclaw and abducted into their fortress several years ago. I still hope that he is alive," she said slightly full of hate, but still with a saddened voice.

They walked past some rooms and the persons in there—most of the time doctors and nurses—watching the strange couple with the three Bafomdads, untrusting, and turned away when one of them noticed that they were watched.

"I think, he's still alive," John said encouragingly.

"What makes you sure about that?" Sefilia asked him.

"My friend Kyte, the CloudRunner I told you about, told me that Scales is gathering lots of scientists. They would end an experiment for him, but he couldn't tell me more."

She now looked at him full of hope. "You really think that he may still be alive? That would be wonderful!" Sefilia said with a sanguine and joyful tone in her voice.

"One day Scales make a mistake, and then we'll be able to rescue everyone who has been captured by him," he said in a determined tone as he balled his fist.

Sefilia just looked surprised at him and was almost overwhelmed with his optimism. "You are just too kind John."

When they left the globular building, the sun already started to go down. It wasn't any different as the inside of the building. The people stared at both of them: John, because he was a stranger; and Sefilia, because she was with him. "You don't have to do it, if it feels awkward to you, Sefilia. I'll be fine by myself." John said after a while.

"First, you are my patient and I have to take care of you and second you are a friend who rescued the princess. The ones who still judge you are just insolent and paranoid," she said strict and grim.

During their walk through the city, John noticed that not all buildings were like the ones behind the main gate. Some of them looked a bit like the houses at John's home: square, with one or two floors, and a slope on top. Most were surrounded by a small flowerbed.

They finally arrived at Sefilia's house. It had a startling similarity to John's parent's house, it just had no stairs in front of the main entrance and it was a bit smaller than his.

It had a lovely, well-tended front garden, with different kinds of plants and flowers in it.

Sefilia noticed that John examined the house pretty thoroughly. "When it was built, my father was still here. Back then he had earned a lot and decided to build this house. How do you like it?" she asked.

"It's awesome! Your house reminds me a lot of the one of my parents. Because of my father's job, we had lots of money too, and built a large house in the woods." John was astounded.

On the inside it looked completely different. The floor was made up of long, bright, brown timber floor boards, which was replaced in some areas by carpet with a soft green, white, and brown, circular floral design on it. The walls were made up of bright brown stone, which was almost devoid of stains, and the places that weren't locked by doors were rounded down like pillars and went to the next wall on. In the foyer were stairs and from the ceiling hung long lamps, which broadcasted a soft but still bright light.

When they finally stepped in, Sefilia begged John to take his shoes off and to put them into the shoe bin next to the entrance and to choose some sandals in his size, which he was allowed to wear inside the house. He did it for her sake and he and the Bafomdads were taken by her into the living room of the house, which was toward the back but still located on the ground floor. "Rest here for a while. I'll just change my clothes and make dinner. The bathroom is over there." She pointed at the door nearby. "If you are thirsty, the kitchen is three rooms away. I will come for you when dinner is ready." She explained.

"Thanks again for your hospitality." John said and bowed.

"That's self-evident, after you rescued the princess." She said a bit embarrassed.

She left the room again and John heard when she went up the stairs. The living room was rather large and ample. The whole room was laid out with immense carpets. In addition there was a fireplace, two leather couches, and a shelf full of books in the Cerinian tongue. A window was also present with a view of the orange and blue sunset—which was hidden on the bottom edge by the city's walls—and a big, rectangular, wooden table with four wooden chairs was nearby. A glass cabinet with picture frames with pictures in them was in a corner near the table. John put his backpack down beside one of the couches and went to the glass cabinet to look at some of the pictures that were within.

In one of the pictures was a man. "Probably her dad," John thought. But he was no Cerinian. Rather, he looked like a grey fox, and he had his hand on the head of a boy who was about five years old. The boy was also similar in appearance to the man. There was also a woman on the picture, a Cerinian, with a baby in her arms that was protected by a shawl. Together they stood on a lush meadow, under a tree that was in full bloom.

The man wore a white doctor's overall, small square glasses on his nose, and had a very happy look. The boy wore a blue shirt and blue shorts and was very happy. The woman had long blue hair and wore a purple shirt and purple trousers and a long necklace with a red gemstone in it. She lovingly closed her eyes and was happy as well. The baby shoved its hands in the direction of its mother and laughed. The whole family stood close together. The picture showed Sefilia's family, before it was torn apart.

Beside the picture the necklace the mother was wearing was laying on a small pedestal.

The next picture showed Sefilia at about the age of four and the boy about nine. She wore a dress in a soft pink. The boy was wearing an orange shirt and brown shorts this time. They played in a hayfield with yellow flowers—playing tag with a Bafomdad—and laughed.

In another picture he saw her father, who was holding some kind of trophy in his hands. He had white strands in the grey fur on his head. He cried tears of happiness.

"You found our old pictures." John turned around. It was Sefilia. She stood in the doorway and walked slowly to him. She wore a long-sleeve, dark-orange shirt, and dark blue trousers. Now John saw for the first time the proportions of her body. Sefilia had a slender waist and the figure of an hourglass. She didn't have too much or too little of anything.

"I'm sorry, I—I…" John stuttered.

"It's okay. These are the last reminders of my family that I own. In this picture here…" she took the picture of her crying dad out of the glass cabinet. "...Dad had just discovered the cure of the sickness mother died of. For that the king honored him." Again tears raised her eyes.

"He is not from Cerinia, is he?" John wanted to know.

"No, he came from another nearby system. It is called Lylat and his home world is called Corneria." A break stepped in.

"She's beautiful, your mother." Sefilia now looked at John, who now again looked at the picture of her family. "Just like you." After John finished his sentence Sefilia turned red and he went on talking. "You shouldn't let it collect dust. At my place when we always want to remember someone we loved, we would carry something with us that they owned. That's why I wear this jacket. It was my father's. It is old and damaged in some places, but it's always with me and I'll always remember him." After John finished his talk, he took the necklace out of the cabinet and placed it around Seflia's neck. Now tears ran down her cheeks. John put on a passionate smile.

Sefilia was overwhelmed by her feelings. She hugged John, pushed her head into his warm chest, and cried. John did the same. He hugged her tightly with his free arm and pressed her fondly to his chest. He grew sad as well, because he didn't know exactly what he had said. It sounded to him like an absolute stranger said these words and not him. He let the words run through his head again and then started crying too as the tears flowed down his face.

He smelled the scent of her blue hair, which smelled sweet like flowers. He felt like her heart was beating like fire and she noticed how his was calm. Just like how they felt the heartbeat of each other, they both felt the breath of the other. Sefilia felt how John's breath slowly went through her hair, and John felt how Sefilia's breath softly went through his clothes and caressed his skin.

First she had dug her head into his body, but after a short moment she looked up, peering deeply into John's eyes and he into hers. He never noticed the blue tone her eyes held. They were bright like a sunrise and as deep as an ocean canyon. Although his eyes were the same, she couldn't see through the tears. John didn't know she had already calmed down.

He had a strange feeling in his stomach. He didn't know what it meant, but this was the first time he had felt something like it. It was a feeling of satisfaction, happiness, and security. He felt whole, as did Sefilia, who didn't know what those feelings were either. It made her happy. Somehow though, it embarrassed both of them and both of them began turning matching shades of red.

They both didn't notice it, but the gemstone in Sefilia's necklace started to glow a soft red. Then, suddenly, both of them felt something. It was an invisible force that acted on their bodies and brought their faces closer together and that same forced moved their lips together, until their noses and lips slowly but surely met.

The moment seemed to be perfect. After both of them noticed what they had done, they became overwhelmed by their sadness and both of them thought that this wasn't right. Their lips departed as fast as they went together and they decided to let the moment be. Now they just looked into each other's eyes and into their souls.

They remained that way for a while, until they finally calmed down and slowly released their hug. Sefilia whisked the tears out of her eyes and still managed a sob or two. "Thanks John." He smiled again and nodded. "I will prepare the meal now," she said before she left the room. They both didn't know, but the both of them were happy again since a long period of sadness.

After she left, John was puzzled by the way the Bafomdads watched as they sat on the couch and observed him with their heads all oriented in one direction, off to the side. He sat down on one of the couches and thought about that strange feeling he had, which he still felt. "What was that feeling? Could it be that I'm…? No. It couldn't, could it? She's a Cerenian, I'm only human. A person like her couldn't possibly have a thing for me." That conflicting dialogue went on for some moments until he finally managed to come to a conclusion. "I'm in love!"

He thought for a while about Sefilia, looked out of the window and watched the faltering sun. "Poor Sefilia, she's all alone." John finally thought. After a moment of silence he decided to relax. John stretched out on the couch and put his head phones in his ears. Just after he really noticed a wonderful, sweet, aromatic smell that rose into his nostrils. It was the food that Sefilia had cooked. John couldn't resist and fell in line with the Bafomdads, headed towards the attractive smell into the kitchen.

Sefilia was in the kitchen putting the last few tears out of her eyes. It was a bright kitchen, lit by a big window. The sun had just fallen below the horizon. She bound a skirt around her waist, got a chopping board out of a cabinet, a knife out of a drawer below, and finally fetched some vegetables out of the refrigerator. She filled a pot with water, put it onto the burner, and turned the burner on low.

She wanted to cook a soup so John could gather his strength back after the days of stress and strain he had endured. Sefilia started to cut the vegetables into small pieces and thought about what just happened. "I don't know what got into me. I just… hugged him. He had this sympathetic aura. He had to go through so many things, which were nearly as horrible as or more so than mine. No, they definitely were worse. Both of his parents are dead, he has no one anymore, and he was on the verge of giving up." She noticed that she almost chopped the vegetables too small and quickly put them into the pot. She also added several spices to them and started to chop several others. "The feeling I had, when he took me in his arms, was it love? How could that be? We've only known each other for what, an hour?", Sefilia fought the thoughts with her doubts and her feelings, "But nevertheless, I like him. What if he likes me too, or worse, what if he doesn't?" She finally finished chopping and put her work into the pot with the rest of the ingredients. "Later I'll just look into his thoughts to assure myself. Wait, that wouldn't be nice. I should ask him, and then I'll see what he's feeling for me."

She had to wait for a while, or at least she waited up until she remembered that she had some noodles that she could put into the soup. Now she noticed for the first time that the jewel was glowing. She didn't know what it meant, but it had to do with him.

Sefilia leaned back with her back to the desk where she cut the vegetables and starred dreamily at the wooden roof of the room. "How could it work—the two of us together? He is a human after all and I'm a Cerinian. We come from two different worlds. And what people think of us if they saw us together, let alone holding hands?" She shook her head and ditched that thought. Turning around, she started to prepare the more ingredients for the soup. "It's too early for such thoughts. I don't know if he likes me too. I should just wait and see what the future brings."

When he arrived at the source, he saw a roomy kitchen with a white tiled floor, shelves of white wood on the walls, and a garden was visible through a nearby window. Sefilia wore a pinafore with a flower design on it and chopped vegetables on a board on a wooden table. She was lost in her thoughts until John signaled with a quiet knock that he was there.

Sefilia was startled slightly out of her trance, but when she noticed that it was John she calmed down. "I'm sorry, John. The meal still needs a while."

"What a pity, it smells wonderful. Speaking of smelling, I need a bath."

"Wait a moment, John. The soup can cook itself for a moment. I'll show you where the shower is." Sefilia chopped the last part of the vegetables, put them into the pot on the cooker, and put her pinafore aside.

He went with her to the second floor and down a short corridor, opening a door at the very end. It was a small room with tiles on the floor, which formed a unique blue and white pattern coming from the center of each tile. Opposite of the entrance was a round bath tub made of white porcelain, directly above it hung something similar to a shower head, and on the right of the entrance was a washbowl with a mirror aside of it in the wall.

Sefilia pushed a button in the wall that John hadn't seen and a case opened up and out. "You can put your dirty clothes in here and they will be cleaned in a few minutes." She pushed another button and beside the first case was a second that fell open also. "Here are the towels. Just throw them into the basket when you finished." She pointed to a basket which stood in one corner close to the bath tub. "The meal will take a while. Just take your time. Don't worry, the bath tub is easy to handle. Oh, and the translator is waterproof."

Sefilia and the Bafomdads left the room again and closed the door behind them. "Very well then," John thought. He sat down on a wooden chair that was in the room, leaned his crutch on the wall, opened the splint, un-wrapped the bandage on his leg, and looked at his wound through the ripped pants. The medicine really helped, because his wound already started to heal. After that he removed the rest of his clothes and threw them with his jacket into the first case and closed it. Shortly after that the case made noises like a washer. Then he put his hand in the second case and took a mild, fluffy towel to hang beside the bath tub on a towel rack. He climbed into the bath tub and closed the frosted glass. He now stood inside the bathtub, but didn't know what he had to do with all the switches and buttons on the wall.

First he examined at the two biggest ones. He could grab them and rotate. One of them had a symbol that looked like a triangle, the other one was a circle. "The proof in the pudding is in eating," John thought and rotated the one with the circle. Immediately, ice-cold water flowed out of the valve of the tub and John got shocked by the feeling, but he soon rotated the other one out of pure instinct and managed to even the temperature out. He rotated both until the temperature of the water reached the ideal warmth.

Next, he pushed a small button directly under the two large knobs. Water shot out of the shower head and started to wash the dirt off John's body. "Good to know," he thought to himself and pushed the button again so that the water would come out of the valve. He used some other buttons that closed the basin and added soap to the water and produced a convenient aroma. John chose the one he liked most and then laid, with a quiet moan of satisfaction, down into the warm water of the tub.  
It was a very relaxing feeling. He didn't remember when he ever took such a comforting bath. He literally felt how the warmth of the water slowly flowed through his entire body and cleaned him from the inside out.

While he enjoyed the warm water in the tub, John remembered that he didn't know who the boy in the picture was. He also remembered that Sefilia didn't say a word about him when she talked about her past. He decided to ask more questions later.

When the first case jumped open again John knew that his clothes were clean. He drained the water in the tub, washed the rest of the foam off his skin, and got out and dried himself off. John was sure that Sefilia would be done.

He quickly dried himself and tossed the towel into the basket of the corner. John had to be astonished again, for his clothes laid in the case folded, on a pack, and they were even warm. But he couldn't imagine what caused it. John put on his still damaged clothes and went back into the kitchen.

When John arrived in the kitchen, an even more enticing smell than before assaulted his senses. Sefilia noticed him. "Ah, John, you have already finished. That's good, because the meal is ready as well." She began reaching for the pot. "Wait, let me carry this. You've done enough for today." He leaned his crutch against the door frame and hobbled in the direction of the pot.

"You should preferably preserve your leg John," she warned him.

"That's alright; your medicine is a real wonder. The pain has pretty much gone away." John reached the desk and already had the pot in both of his hands.

"Alright, I'll show you where the dining room is." Sefilia surrendered to John's motives. "This way," she directed as John hobbled after her with the Bafomdads accompanying him. She carried a small bowl filled with fruits. "That's probably for them," John thought.

They walked through two more rooms until Sefilia opened a big wooden door. Behind it was a large room with a rather large table located in the middle. The middle of the table was set for two people. "Just put the pot down over there." There was a small pot holder. Sefilia put the bowl beside her on the ground and the Bafomdads jumped immediately at the fruit. "Have a seat: please, John," she begged him, to which he happily complied.

Sefilia opened the pot. There was a vegetable soup with some kind of white, thin noodles inside and she dipped soup out for each of them with a ladle. "It is no luxury meal, but it's the best I have here at the moment."

"That's alright. The best I can do is a tea and sometimes I can do a steak without burning it." John tasted it for the first time, "This food is better in every way! This is the best soup I've eaten in a long time."

Sefilia was a bit embarrassed. "Now you're blowing it all out of proportion." As an answer he just smiled. John really enjoyed the soup, but Sefilia could see that in his face as he smiled to her.

While they were eating, Sefilia said, "I am sorry about earlier, that must have been very awkward for you." John laid his spoon on his plate. "No, not at all: It was actually nice to hug someone who didn't hate you or pretended to like you." After this remark both of them blushed. Their suspicions were confirmed: they liked each other.

For a short while no one said a word until John finally broke the ice again. "Actually, it had to have been awkward to you, because you had to put up with the stench." Both of them managed a good laugh and seemingly forgot about the old topic.

When their mood calmed down again, John remembered the boy on the photo. "Is your brother still alive?" Sefilias smile disappeared and John noticed immediately. "I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to."

Her head sunk a bit. "It's all right. He's alive. His name is Sabre. After father got abducted he went to the royal guard. Since that day he spent the rest of his live there. I only saw him when he got injured and had to be taken care of or when I went to the training ground to watch him practice. Now he is their leader, the youngest they ever had."

John noticed that she grew sad again. "They call him a leader? Ha! Let his own sister down… leader to and fro! When I feel good again, I'll go see him in person and give him a mouthful." His voice sounded stern, but Sefilia just shook her head.

"It is all right, John. Let it alone!" She warned him.

"A family should hold together in such a time and he just disappears and goes to the guard, although he should have tended to his sister! I'm going to go see him first, I promise! Where was he when the rest of the soldiers came to rescue the princess?"

"As far as I know he had to endure a sudden assault on one of our villages. That's probably why he wasn't with the others that day." Her voice was full of sorrow.

Until both of them had finished eating, no one said a word. John helped Sefilia clear the table and put the dishes into a washer in the kitchen. "As long as the machine is running, I'll show you where you can sleep tonight. Come with me." John snatched up his crutch again and followed her.

They went up the second floor and turned left this time. They opened the first door on the right and went in. Sefilia pushed a light switch and a chandelier with light bulbs started to glow. It was a big room, with the same wooden floor as the rest of the house. There was a small bed with a thin blanket, a shelf, a small, round table with two chairs, and a balcony that was blocked by a glass door.

"A bath is at the end of the hallway. If there is something more, my room is at the end of the opposite hallway," Sefilia said.

"If someone breaks in, should I just throw him out or do you have a dungeon or something like that?" The sarcasm was heavy in the air as John smirked.

Sefilia giggled. "You won't have to bother with that. There haven't been any crimes like burgling for an eternity." She now bowed down to the Bafomdads and spoke to them. "And where do you three want to sleep tonight?" The three of them looked at each other before jumping onto John's bed with a glee and Sefilia nodded.

"The other switch is over there." Sefilia stopped in the door frame. "Good night, John."

"Good night, Sefilia." He looked down at the Bafomdads who were on his bed. "Watch out, guys! Here I come!" John got in to bed as pulled the blanket over himself and his three friends. He wanted to think about the things that had happened lately, but couldn't find the energy to do so as he drifted off to sleep.

**_Author Notes:_**

**_  
Sorry for letting you wait that long, but unexpected events and machine breaks slowed everything down a lot._**

**_So the romance started :3_**

**_Question for you:  
Should I divide the coming chapters in smaller ones? Because that is now about the size they will be._**

**_And for the pervs out there. There won't be any sex in the first part, only kissing and a bit pawning._**

**_The next part will need a long time, sorry guys, but I didn't found any time to translate more, because I wasn't in the mood (sorry again)._**

**_But I hope you accept my little excuse, I started drawing and made some sketches ( I'm not a good drawer, but I hope you still like it ):_**

**_It seems that the textprogramm blocks links so just copy "deviantart" and the "www" _****_and then copy the rest_**

_**Sefilia (colored):**_

**_.com/art/OC-Character-Sefilia-160038104_**

**_Older Sefilia sketch:_**

**_.com/art/Older-Sefilia-Sketch-160039674_**

**_Bafomdad:_**

**_.com/art/Bafomdad-of-Cerinia-160038744_**

**_I will also link the pictures at my profile so that you don't have to search the chapters with the links again._**


	9. Audience

**Attention long chapter ahead!**

**Chapter 9**

**Audience**

The next morning, John and his friends were awakened by a loud knocking at the main entrance. It was already light outside. John rolled out of bed which caused the Bafomdads to awaken and perked up their ears. While he was picking himself up he looked, still tired, out of the big glass door of the balcony.

In front of the door stood a neatly clothed Cerinian, with a white shirt, a black jacket, black trousers and black closed shoes. He was waiting. Several moments later the door opened and Sefilia stepped outside in a white, long gown and talked to the visitor.

After they exchanged a few words, the visitor pulled a letter out of his inner jacket pocket. Sefilia looked a bit surprised when she saw the letter. She took it and thanked the man. He then man bowed, turned around, and went off as Sefilia closed the door.

John knew that the letter was important and decided to go downstairs. But before John left the room, he rearranged his hair while he looked at himself in a mirror, pulled his jacket on, and left the room with his three friends.

When John reached the stairs Sefilia still stood at the entrance and was reading the letter she just received.

"Good morning," John said to become noticeable.

Sefilia looked up to him. "Good morning, John. Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby. Thanks for asking. And you?"

"Me too," she looked down again and read the letter again.

"What's the letter about?" John finally asked.

"It is from the king!"

"From the king? Do they want me out already?"

"On the contrary! The king wishes to have an audience! He wants it this evening!"

"An audience with the king? With us? Today?" John made a confused expression.

"Yes! Apparently he wants to say thank you for the things you did."

"I guess. Maybe he just wants to show his appreciation?" John scratched his chin while he thought.

"This is exciting!" Sefilia was practically yelling. "How should I dress?" She quickly looked herself over.

"If you were me, I wouldn't try to be someone else. Just be yourself and put your doctor's clothes on." John answered calmly.

"You really think so?" She was interested in his opinion, wanting to hear more.

"It was just an offer: you can wear whatever you want!"

"What about you?" She looked skeptical.

"What else should I wear? I just own the stuff I came here with."

"Then we have to get something for you. It would probably be good to have it custom made. You don't want to look like a hobo in front of the king, do you? And you should shave too!"

"I understand shaving, but aren't custom made suits very expensive?"

"That will be alright. I get reductions on prices for the work I do. Besides, I know someone who wouldn't mind a little promotion for his shop," she answered.

"Alright, but I'll only wear them on one condition."

"And that would be…?" Sefilia's ears turned up.

"I want to wear my jacket." John smirked a bit brash.

"That can be arranged. But you should have it repaired. Just look at your father's jacket, there are holes everywhere!"

He took off his jacket and examined it. It had several holes, some at the elbows and some at the back. He didn't notice them earlier.

"I guess you're right. A memory really shouldn't look like this."

"Good, then it's decided. I brought you and your friends a bowl of fruit into the kitchen. You're certainly hungry. While you are eating I will change my clothes. And don't forget your crutch John."

Sefilia went upstairs and John went, as he was advised, into the kitchen and shared the bowl of fruits with the Bafomdads. There were small berries, some kind of pink cherries, and bananas.

This time John tasted an orange banana that was about fifteen inches long. It was very juicy and soft, but had a taste John didn't know. The banana was big enough that he couldn't eat any more and just watched the Bafomdads as they ate.

Several minutes later Sefilia came into the kitchen. She wore silver-colored sandals, a long blue skirt with thin white, upright straps, a bright blue blouse, and the necklace of her mother.

"Was that enough?" She wanted to know while she was putting the bowl into the sink.

"Yeah, and our buddies here got enough too." John looked down and saw the three of them lying blissfully on the floor. "I'll take the three of them upstairs and put them into bed. Is that all right?"

"I don't mind, but please put this bowl in the room." She reached into one of the lower cabinets, got a flat, wide dish out, and filled it with sand that she had in a sack. John knew why he had to take the dish with him.

So John took the three Bafomdads in one arm and the dish filled with sand in his other and went upstairs. He didn't close the door when he went out earlier, so he pushed it open with his hip and walked into the bedroom.

He carefully put the dish down on the ground, put the sleeping Bafomdads slowly and carefully into the bed, covered them slightly with the blanket and left the room quietly.

John went back to the main entrance and saw Sefilia waiting. He didn't want her to wait longer and threw his shoes on and left the house with her.

"Today is a great day for shopping." Sefilia was speaking with a joyful attitude while they were stepping out of the house. John just shrugged his eyebrows.

Just as before, they were watched by the inhabitants of the city, but they were just ignored and decided to talk to each other instead. "Where are we going exactly?" John wanted to know.

"We're go to an old friend of mine. He has a shop and is a tailor."

"And you are sure that he makes good clothes?"

"Sure. He's a bit different, but you will like him!"

"What do you mean by 'different'?" John asked a bit confused.

"You will see what I mean." She giggled a bit, but covered her muzzle with her hand.

"How many people are living here?" John wanted to know after a while as he looked around. There wasn't much to see and the streets were empty as soon as John was spotted. Some of the windows in the older buildings had clothes hung outside to dry.

"There are about three hundred thousand in our city. Why?"

"I was just wondering. Our capital city has about four million inhabitants."

"Four million? Play games with someone else John."

"Really, it's true. We were all there, pretty much. I think we had about five billion on the whole planet."

"On the whole planet? Come on John."

"No, really! Unfortunately about one and a half to two billion of them had to suffer under the water and food shortage."

"And you didn't help each other?" Sefilia was curious.

"Some tried, but the majority of them wanted profit and the people didn't have anything for them. Mankind is one of the most hated races I know, just after the Sharpclaw." John voice sunk a bit.

"That's really horrible. I'm glad you're different." A short break stepped in. "Don't make such a sad face John. Now you're here, away from all of the sadness and cruelty of your world and the people who hate you." She did her best to cheer him up.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Now I've got peace away from all that." He stared dreamily into the light green sky and smirked. "No more those annoying guys from the bank," he thought. "No more those hateful gazes from people when you walk down the street. Well, ok, there's some of that here, but when the people noticed that I'm nice too, they'll accept me, I hope."

"Hey, watch where you are walking, or you will tumble. I don't want to pick you up off the ground." She said playfully, shaking him from his daydream. "Well, here we are," Sefilia said after a while. They now stood in front of a big store with two large showcases on both sides of the two door entrance and a big pennant in the Cerinian tongue hung over it.

"Wait here for a second. I'll go inside and tell my friend what's happening. He will help us!" Sefilia explained as John nodded.

The blue vixen was talking inside with someone that John wasn't able to see. He looked at the dresses and suits that were exposed in the display windows. There were long dresses in red and blue, with long sleeves, short sleeves and some without. Some had different designs. John tried to envision Sefilia in such a dress and he had to admit that they would have fit pretty well on her.

Then he reached the suits for the men. Each one was unique, even if they weren't as varied as the dresses for the women. The preferred color for the suites was black or a very dark blue and the sleeves were pretty much the same length.

"All I'd really need are a pair of pants and a nice shirt," he thought to himself.

While John was thinking, a little, curious, young voice talked to him from behind, startling him. "Hey!" John turned around and a little Cerinian boy stood just behind him.

"Oh: hey. Aren't you afraid of me?" He asked with a kind voice and kneeled down as far as he could so the boy wouldn't strain his neck so much.

"No. Why should I be afraid of you?" The boy asked curiously.

"Just wondering," John answered.

"Where are you from? I've never seen someone like you before!"

"I come from a far away place, from a far away star system."

"Aren't you homesick, being that you're so far away from home?"

"A little, but I like this place way better." He smiled a bit.

"Wasn't it nice where you came from?"

"You ask a lot of questions for your age kid!"

"I'm almost five!" He boasted as he held five elongated fingers in John's direction. "So tell me, what's it like where you came from?"

"Well, it was nice there, but the people didn't like me too much."

"Why didn't they like you? Did you get into trouble?" The boy's ears stood on top of his head in question.

"No, I didn't do anything, but the people at my place were very weird. They blamed someone for things they hadn't done and in this case I was the target."

"They are stupid. Do you have friends here?"

"Some," John admitted.

"Do you want to be my friend?" He saw the hopeful gaze in the bright green eyes of the young fox.

"Sure, why not?" He didn't want to disappoint the kid. "I'm John."

"My name is Adaril." He stretched his small hand out to shake John's.

"Nice to meet you Adaril." John stretched his hand out and they shook lightly.

He was apparently happy because he laughed. "You are hurt! Are you the stranger who helped to rescue the princess from the Sharpclaw?" He watched John's wounds with wide eyes.

"Don't worry, I was taken care of. And yes, I helped to rescue her."

"Cool! Can you tell me what happened?" His eyes dilated from curiosity. "How many Sharpclaw did you fight?" Before John was able to answer, an older woman with a shopping bag and short hair came to them. "I'm sorry that my son bothered you with questions."

"Don't worry about it, that's how kids are." John shrugged his shoulders.

"Will you tell me the story? Promise?"

"Promise! But listen to your mother or else you'll get into trouble."

"Okay.", Adaril said for a temporary goodbye. The kid's mother dragged punctilious her son away from John as he waved for goodbye and John waved back.

When they were farther away, the mother really laid into her son. John didn't understand what she said, but the young kid's ears of drooped.

"Kids are something wonderful, aren't they?" Sefilia stood behind him in the entrance.

"Were you watching?" John asked with a raised eyebrow, standing once more.

She giggled a bit. "Yeah, I didn't want to disturb the moment. You see? The people aren't as afraid as you thought they were."

"That's true." John scratched the back of his head.

"We can go inside now. I talked to my friend, it's alright."

When they entered the store a light perfume attacked Jonathan. They walked up to the counter, which wasn't being run by anyone. "Hey, Beseril: where did you go again?" Sefilia called.

"I'm back here sweetie!" Another voice called through a curtain behind the counter. "Just bring your friend to me!"

"Beseril: right?" John asked.

"As said, he is a bit weird, but I think you will get along with him well."

"If you say so."

They went behind the counter and opened the curtain. Now they were in a midsized room, where different types of clothes and unfinished dresses and suits hung on display dummies. At the other end of the room stood a Cerinian who was examining a few of the unfinished dresses.

"No, no, no…" He shook his head. "That won't work. That'll have to go, and that too." He cut diligently with a scissor, removing some parts of a dress. "That's much better!"

Sefilia harrumphed one time and the Cerinian turned around. "Ah, hello darling!" He saw them and walked in their direction.

He was about as tall as John and had two silver rings in his left ear. The fur coloration in his face was a bit different than the ones of the other male Cerinians. He had a white nose and a white strap that went from his forehead to the back of his head and his hair was a bit shorter and combed sideways.

He wore a purple shirt made from some kind of polyester, it had mid-length sleeves with pink bands, and he wore a purple belt with very dark purple trousers and darker magenta colored shoes without shoestrings.

When he walked up, John noticed that the sweet perfume came from him.

He talked through his nose. "I'm sorry Sefilia, I just had to fix a mistake. It was just horrible and—" He stopped himself to look John up and down. "So this must be our lone warrior… the one you told me so much about. I'm Beseril, the best dress maker in our lovely capital." He put forth a hand with blue enamored fingernails.

"Nice to meet you, name is John."

"Oh: a strong handshake! I like that!" He observed John's face and his bodily dimensions. "You don't look as dangerous as people say you are."

"Well, when you see something the first time it always looks dangerous I guess." John answered and shrugged his shoulders a bit.

"I guess you're right kid. Fine, sit down over there for a moment: I'll be right back with some draperies. I'll find something to fit both of you cuties." He turned around in a classy manner and went into another room, which was even farther away.

"Now I at least know what you meant by weird: maybe queer is a better word?" Sefilia giggled a bit after his comment. "What did he mean by 'both of you cuties'?" John dug deeper.

"Well…" Sefilia grew a bit embarrassed, crossed her arms behind her back, and looked away from John. "I told him about the pictures and now he thinks you are a good friend of mine."

"You mean perhaps your boyfriend?" John lifted his eyebrow.

"I can tell him the truth if you want." She now looked at him interestingly.

"I don't mind." He watched at the roof of the room to hide his blushing. "I was just confused as to why you didn't enlighten him. It could cause some trouble later on."

"It doesn't make a difference to me." Sefilia countered. She blushed a bit, but it didn't stick out much in her blue fur.

"What if he talks to the others? How do you think they will react?" John asked afraid.

"Never fear. I asked him to not tell it the others. We've been good friends for a long time, he will keep his word," she explained.

"Okay, that's good…" He admitted, at ease.

Shortly after that Beseril came back from the secondary room with several clothes, mainly green tones, or tones that included green. He held some rolls in front of John and eyeballed him after that. However, strong colors were apparently out of question for John's shirt and so he chose a bright color instead and black pants to go with it.

With Sefilia the decision was much easier. Because of her blue fur he quickly decided for a bright turquoise. "This accentuates your eyes," he justified.

"Now I only need measurements, but I better do that myself." Beseril pulled a rolled up measuring tape out of his trouser pocket and measured John, then Sefilia.

"Do the two of you have any special wishes?" Beseril asked.

"Yeah, could you, if it doesn't cause any trouble, fix my jacket? It's an old family memory and I don't want to throw it away," John explained.

"For you, anything: sweetheart. Just give it to me and I'll have everything done this afternoon. You just have a nice day." Beseril disappeared slightly prancing with the clothes and the jacket into the secondary room.

"So," John said, "What can we do this evening?" He asked the vixen.

"How about I show you the town?" Sefilia proposed.

"That sounds good. I've wondered what the rest of the city looks like. I haven't seen much of it," John thought out loud.

"Good, then come with me, John." She giggled a bit as she clutched his wrist and pulled him behind her.

"Hey, watch it… my leg!"

They walked on a wide street, with bright, paved stones, which apparently wasn't used much at this time of day or was just incidentally empty.

"Where should I start the tour?" Sefilia asked herself out loud.

"Well, which landmark is closest to us?" John helped her.

"That would be the museum."

"History? Sounds interesting. Yours does at least."

She smiled while they walked. "It's very close to us; we should be there in a few minutes."

"Which part of your history is in the museum?" John asked after a while.

"Which part? Our whole history is in there, from the beginning of the first chronicles and findings till today. Why do you ask? Was it different where you're from?"

"Yeah, kind of. Our world seems to have existed longer than yours. There are things in our museums that are several million years old: most of the time they're just bones or something of that nature from extinct animals. Well, okay: we don't have a jungle planet like you."

"Yeah, it's very difficult. Through the strong vegetation and growing of roots the efforts of our searchers are destroyed most of the time and they have to dig very deep into the ground. To even find something intact is hardly possible. Most of the time they'd find ruins of old cities or something like that, but bones of strange animals are extremely rare and if they do find some, they aren't enough to create a full skeleton." Sefilia looked around. "We are already there. Over here, John," she said, pulling John in another direction.

They now stood in front of huge, wide stairs made up of bright stone, which led to a very large, complex building with different constructs. The entrance to the building was pretty big and was supported by round pillars made of stone.

"So, up there?"

"You will make it John. You even said yourself that you're feeling much better."

"I'll try, hard..."

Sefilia went up the stairs easily, but John had problems with his crutch and the many steps, and because of that he wasn't as fast as she was.

When they finally arrived at the top of the stairs John was exhausted and Sefilia tried to cheer him up a bit. "It was just half bad. At least you don't have to walk this much from here on. The stairs here are operated with energy," she explained. "Which exhibition would you like to see first?"

"I don't know... Which ones do you like best?" he asked her.

"Well, that would be the art exhibition."

"Then I would like to see the art exhibition."

While they talked they were continuously watched by pedestrians, but this time they didn't stand still or hide themselves.

"The art exhibition is in the west wing. That would be this direction," Sefilia pointed at a hallway which was opposite of them.

They both had to walk across the whole floor, which was covered with plain, white tiles to get to the entrance to the hallway, which led to the west wing.

During their short walk, Sefilia was greeted by several other people and she greeted them back. When they saw John, he managed a smile and said, "Good afternoon," but his greeting was answered by a confused gaze or hushed voice. An older man greeted him back.

"That was the conductor of the museum," she commented. "He always was a very open and curious person."

"One more person who isn't afraid of me, but if the king receives me nice this evening hopefully the fear and the distrust will end soon," John hoped.

They walked through a short hallway which was made up of glass walls, where the sun shone into a side building.

"That's the art exhibition. Here are all sorts of things; photos, sculptures, and very old drawings, which were maintained over hundreds of years!"

"You can see that these pictures are real old," John looked at one mid-sized drawing with a jungle and the sun in the background. "On this one a Cerinian soldier is riding a CloudRunner."

"That's a drawing of the time before the struggle between us and the CloudRunners broke out,". she commended sorrowfully.

"Yeah, my friend Kyte told me the story. It was about a lack of food in the capital city and the CloudRunners were put out of the city."

"In fact, yes, that was it how it happened. But did he also tell you how greedy they were?" John looked again at Sefilia.

"No, he told me they were really economized, but there still wasn't enough food and so they decided to leave the city."

"Maybe there is some truth in both stories," Sefilia said to avoid a conflict.

"Who knows?" John thought out loud.

The next things they saw were paintings of the early rulers of the planet. Either they sat on a big marble throne, with a high backrest, or they stood in a large hall. Most of the time they wore gloriously decorated amours and they would have tattoos like Krystal's on their upper arms. Usually they had a golden staff in their hands, which looked like it could be a weapon like the others. On their sides were always their wife and children, in noble dresses and clothes and even armor when the men were older.

"Where is the drawing of the king of the present day?" John wanted to know after they had looked at some of the older ones.

"There is none. The pictures are drawn when the king has served his duties for several years."

"Sort of like an award, huh?"

"You could say so." She observed a display on the wall. "We should go on, if you want to see something more."

While they walked back to the main entrance, Sefilia thought again, but John adjourned her thoughts. "Where will we go next?"

She was startled by the sudden question. "Well, you just saw the most cultural thing in our city aside from the palace. I can show you the school and the training yard of our soldiers, if you want."

"Why not?" John shrugged a bit with his shoulders, "Your schools are sure ways better than the concrete blocks where we got taught." Sefilia didn't know what he meant and he explained to her while she was leading him to the school how exactly their education was.

"No wonder so many students didn't like the education: but here it is a thousand times better. Almost every teacher does his or her job voluntarily and they are not as strict as yours. For example, if a student isn't in the mood to learn, he is allowed to go and come whenever he wants and if he or she misses a lesson because of illness or something like that, he or she can watch all records in the library," Sefilia commented, after John had finished with his explanation.

"Yeah, we hadn't such a technical luxury since then. Is there something more demanded than writing and reading to pass school?"

"No, the rest is completely voluntary. You only have to do the things you want or what you need in your future job."

"Hmmm... That's the part our school system didn't want to understand. They always put us in geography, although we always stayed at home or learned our history, even though there was a museum several hundred meters away from our school. Most of the things we did there were just a waste of time." John shook his head. "That's fine though, because most of the time I really wasn't attentive." He laughed and Sefilia giggled along with him.

They walked for a while again and finally arrived at the school. "Now I know why education at your place is so favored."

There stood a massive, round, cylindrical building, whose panes were made of slightly tinted glass. In the middle of an area that was overgrown with low grasses and small plants were blackboards, desks, and chairs. Some classes were still being taught.

The blackboards were partitions of glass, which displayed things through touching or speaking several symbols or colored pictures.

"What do you do if it rains or it's windy?"

"Luckily this doesn't happen very often, but if it happens, the classes go into our schoolhouse and the lessons continue there until the weather is fine again," she explained. "Do you want to see the building from the inside?"

"Of course! Now even I feel like going back to school again," he commented.

Sefilia antedated and led John over the big grassland to the schoolhouse. While they were walking to it, they were noticed by a few of the students who were a bit older and while they were watched, a strong mumbling started again. However, the teachers cut it off by clearing their throats or telling the students to look back at the blackboard again.

John discovered to his amazement that some older girls were taking a shine to him and when he answered their gazes they blushed, hid behind their books, and giggled. Sefilia noticed that and accelerated her steps. "Come on, John, or else we'll be too late."

"Hey, wait. I can't walk that fast with that thing on my leg!" He was pained as he went in hobbling after her.

They finally arrived at the schoolhouse and stepped in.

Surprisingly, it was very chilly inside the building, despite all the glass.

The floor was, like in the hospital, made out of some kind of metal or stone. But this one was a continuous fawn tone, but it changed in intensity and brightness.

"And so here are our how our classrooms look from the inside," Sefilia opened a door after she checked and made sure that nobody was inside. It was a very ample room with chairs and desks made up of metal and wood, and a limpid blackboard.

On the ceiling in front of the board hung an object shaped like a hemisphere.

"Is that the thing that records the lessons?" John asked her.

"Yes. The records are immediately sent and saved in the library."

"That's interesting ... Am I allowed to watch one of the records?"

"Yes, we can. We have enough time left."

They left the room again and went on walking into the middle of the building.

The middle of the building was protected by a metal mantle so that no one could look inside, which was the exact opposite of the classrooms.

Sefilia touched a large door, whose creases began to glow a blue color and then opened up and disappeared into the wall. "You will be able to do this soon if the king allows you."

"What kind of technique is that anyway?" John asked curious.

"Put simply, it recognizes your DNA and lets you pass then. By the way, this is how almost all of our security systems work."

"That's so uninvited guests won't get in, huh?"

"You got it. One time a Sharpclaw managed to enter the city, but he couldn't cause much damage. Shortly after that he was caught and thrown into prison."

"I understand..."

The middle of the building was divided into two areas. The first two floors were only made up of doors, which opened by touch, and the remaining five floors served as a library. There were shelves that were so high that they reached the roof of the next floor and the higher books were only able to be reached when you used some kind of a floating lift.

"I'm searching for a free room for us, and then you can have a look at one of the records," she looked at some of the doors. "Good, this one is empty." She opened the door again with a touch of her hand and she stepped in. John followed her. It was rather a small room, with a desk and some kind of holo-display. There were two chairs and about two meters away from the furniture stood a hemisphere on the ground.

"Sit down, please," Sefilia assigned John a seat and he sat down on one of the chairs. She sat down beside him. She touched the display and a moment later a hologram fluttered in front of them, that was stabilized soon after. The hologram showed a very naturalistic environment, a female, and an older teacher, who apparently just taught history. There was a board that showed a picture of a city which was just built.

"That was our capital city when it was built. That was about a thousand years ago," the hologram said.

"This technique is really interesting," John noticed. Sefilia smirked, pleased.

"I think that's enough for the beginning," Sefilia finally said after a while, just before deactivating the hologram.

They left the library and the schoolhouse shortly after. Some time had passed and John's stomach growled before he blushed. "I think we should go and eat something. I'm getting hungry again."

"Yeah, I think so too. We should check on our friends though. They're probably wondering where we're at."

"On our way is a nice, small restaurant. We can eat something there and then look after the Bafomdads," she proposed.

"If I earn one day's money, I'll pay you back for everything you've given me!"

"You don't have to do that."

"I feel better doing that. Besides, my mother didn't raise me that way for nothing."

"Okay, you won." She surrendered.

As she spoke, they walked a part of the way back. They turned onto a side street a moment later. They walked past some two floored buildings with balconies and flower buckets just before stopping at a small restaurant on the corner of the street.

"This is it! Come on, let's go inside!"

They stepped in the direction of the entrance, which opened up automatically and divided in the middle before disappearing into the walls on either side.

There were only a few guests in the small restaurant. That restaurant reminded John of a bar or a tavern. There were only two persons behind the wooden counter—a woman and a man—who left at regular intervals their workplaces and served the guests.

"The place back there is nice," Sefilia pointed at a free table for two persons at one of the sidewalls.

While they were walking to their seats, most of the people watched both of them, again, but this time their eyes clung a while longer on John.

The both of them sat down as the waiter came to the both of them. He was a bit nervous when he saw John and that was clearly discernable in his voice.

"May I take your orders?" The waiter asked.

"I would like one glass of your Nannanjuice and number nineteen please," Sefilia said.

"Very well and what can I bring to you sir?" He addressed himself to John while he spoke, still nervous.

"I'll take the nineteen too and a cup of tea," the servant took the order with a shaky hand.

"Any special wishes sir?"

"Surprise me."

"Good, the food will be finished in about fifteen to twenty minutes."

When the servant was out of earshot, John talked to Sefilia: "I should start to learn your language and lettering in the near future, or else I might always have to order on the off chance or let you read the card for me."

"Everything will be fine, don't worry." She offered a smile to help cheer him up.

"What exactly did I just order?"

"Just let it surprise you." Sefilia laughed which caused John to raise one of his eyebrows.

"Is it at least something vegetarian?" John asked. "Not that I get some roasted bird."

"Don't worry, it's something without meat."

"Well then, that's good." A moment passed without any speech and the silence in the restaurant was deafening. "Where will we go after we have visited our friends?" John asked.

"Well, I don't know exactly. What else are you interested in?"

"I'd like to see how your men are trained. We can do that, can't we?"

"Yeah, sure. Why do you want to go there, anyway?"

"I just want to see if I would have beaten your guys, had fought against each other," he lied. In fact, he wanted to see her brother and gather some sort of opinion of him, at least before he confronts with him.

Shortly after that the servant brought them their drinks. Sefilia was given a pellucid glass with a bright red juice inside and John got a ceramic cup with a bright green liquid, the tea, which was still fuming. They both thanked the servant, who only nodded his answer.

John waited until the tea had a chance to cool down and watched Sefilia drinking her juice. She sipped several times at it and always smirked after that.

"I have to admit, I'm curious. How does that taste?" He asked her.

"It's slightly sweet and sort of tastes like the Nannanfruit." She explained this to him after putting it down.

"I should keep that in mind. Next time I'll order some of that to."

Now John assessed his drink with a quick gulp. Apparently it was an herbal tea, because it wasn't sweet, but had a strong aroma that John tasted still in his throat. "Not bad!"

While they were waiting for their meal Sefilia asked John about his home world, about the plants and animals, and the environment. She was amazed when John talked about the ocean and seas. Sefilia already thought that the water in a lake near the city was quite a bit, but enough water to reach far beyond the horizon? She could barley imagine.

Another thing she was curious about was snow and ice. It never snowed on Cerinia, but she knew ice from their refrigerators. She didn't know how dangerous it was if you slipped off of it or crashed while driving.

"And the special thing about snowflakes is that none of them are the same, at least they haven't found any yet," he finally ended.

"It's probably beautiful when it does snow…" Sefilia said dreamily.

"You'll get a chance to see it with your own eyes one day." While John finished his sentence the servant came to the both of them with two flat dishes and put both of them onto the desk.

On the dish laid a sundry of strange, cooked vegetables with a yellow, viscous sauce with baked cheese.

John took his fork and his knife in his hands and started eating with Sefilia. Some of the things didn't taste right to John, but he ate it anyway out of respect.

The servant came back to them several times and asked them if he could bring them something more, and both of them ordered drinks for each other. They both finished around the same time and told each other about the events of the past few days, until finally the servant came to Sefilia and gave her the bill. She paid with a small, brown wallet out of her trousers and left the restaurant with John.

When they reached the open street again, John noticed that it was much warmer than earlier that morning. He looked around to assess the sun to see it was late afternoon; it almost stood at its highest point. They walked at a normal speed back to Sefilia's house to look after the Bafomdads. "Bafomdads are often inclined to play," she announced on their way.

"They didn't seem that way to me on our journey."

"That's because they respect you and are thankful. They have to get used to me first," she declared.

"Randorn told me something like that too."

After about fifteen minutes they arrived at Sefilias house, opening the door and walking in. John put his shoes to the side and took a pair from the shoe bin.

"Go upstairs and look after the three of them, I'll go to the kitchen and get some fruits," John nodded and they split.

When John came to the door he was already hearing sounds. He opened the door and saw the three Bafomdads playing tag. The chairs in the room were knocked over, the bed had lost some feathers, and the mirror had dirt on it.

"Hey guys, why are you fooling around?" Now the Bafomdads saw John and jumped in his direction to greet him.

"Because of you I have to clean everything up!" He gave them a dressing down. They lowered their ears.

"Don't be so strict on them." Sefilia stood behind him and had a bowl of fruits in her hand. "Here..." She handed him the bowl. "Apologize to them," she said with a determined voice as John grabbed it reluctantly.

"I didn't mean to be mean." John put the bowl beside the door on the floor and the three accepted his excuse thankfully.

"I'll clean that up later," Sefilia said.

"No, please, I'll clean it up." John wagged his finger while correcting her. He went to one of the upset chairs and tried to stand it up again, but failed because he wasn't able to reach the chair with his crutch under his armpit. Moments later he tried to lift it up with his healthy leg. Halfway up, the chair fell back on the ground.

John gave a light grunt and Sefilia laughed to herself. "Maybe I could use some help after all,"

Sefilia put on a hearty smile. "You can clean up and I'll put the furniture back in its place. I'll get you a vacuum cleaner." Sefilia left the room again.

"I didn't know that three unlikely guys like you could create such a mess," John spoke as he shook his head.

Shortly after that, Sefilia came back into the room and had a little hand held vacuum cleaner with an extended grip in her hands. "It starts and stops with the blue button. Don't worry; it can suck up anything that fits."

There wasn't much to vacuum. There was some hair and feathers on the bed and a bit of sand on the floor. He started at the bed and made his way across the room, cleaning anything that was out of place.

John had finished before Sefilia and helped her with the things that he was able to reach. One minute later, the room looked like it did when he entered it the day before.

"You folks behave yourselves until we get back, okay?" The three Bafomdads let out chirps in agreement. John let the door stand open so they could walk around and weren't trapped inside that single room.

"Now that we're here, you can shave if you want. I'll show you where to find anything you might need."

Sefilia walked to the bathroom and opened a small cupboard that hung on the wall and took a small gadget out of it. "Here," she handed it John. "That's my dad's razor. The blue button turns it on and off and the green one let's you set how short to cut your hair. If you're hungry or anything just come down to the kitchen.

"Thanks,", John said right before she left the bathroom. He stood in front of the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. Sefilia was right; he really should shave so he'd look decent and be able to at least get into the palace. He searched for the shortest adjustment on the small gadget and after some success; he began to work on his beard.

When he finished and tested if everything was done right—which it was—he rinsed the hair down the sink, put the razor back into the cupboard after he clean it, and went back down to the entrance to the house. Sefilia was already waiting there for him.  
"Sorry for taking so long." He excused himself while he was walking down the stairs.

"I don't mind. The main thing is that you don't look so wild... and old anymore."

"Old?" John practically yelled.

Sefilia smiled a toothy grin. "Just a joke."

Sefilia was nervous about going to the training grounds, and John picked up on that easily. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. Just tell me where it is and I'll go myself."

"It is about time to go there. I want give my brother a mouthful myself and I also want to try to persuade him to come back again." Sefilia was a bit downtrodden. She had both arms crossed and was holding one of her elbows with the opposite hand while she kept her gaze on the ground.

"Don't worry; I'll watch your back." Sefilia looked at John when she felt his hand on her shoulder, nodding at what he said and accepting his help.

John changed his shoes again and they left the house together and walked in the other direction towards a rather large building. It would take some time to reach it, as it was a long walk.

The closer they came to the building, the more often they came across soldiers who were on their way there or came from there, with or without armor, and the ones who didn't have armor on wore a sleeveless shirt made of some kind of leather and pants that had the same tone as the shirts they wore. They either walked bare-foot or with the metallic boots of their armor.

Finally, they arrived at the tall building that they had seen from a distance. "Here, some of our soldiers live. They also have to report back from a mission. The building also serves as an administrative building for the army, the weapons, and everything else that has to do with the military," she explained with a hushed voice.

"So, he lives here. Should I tell him what I think of him or should you do it?" Sefilia knew who he meant when he said 'him'.

"I think we should ask to see if he is here."

They entered the building together and went to the reception in the entrance hall. An older Cerinian with long white hair postmarked some documents and put them into their appropriate places. He sat with his back to them.

"Excuse me," she said when they arrived. The receptionist turned around.

"Yes?" First he looked at Sefilia, but then his eyes fell on John, who he was briefly able to examine, up until Sefilia continued.

"Do you know if commander Wolferos is here? I am his sister and would like to talk to him."

The old man lifted briefly his eyebrow and said the, "I'm sorry Miss Wolferos, but the commander is on a mission and he will probably be back later this evening," he explained.

"I understand," she lowered her head, disappointed.

Now was John's turn. "Could you relay something to him?"

The receptionist turned to look at him. "And you are?"

"I'm the stranger who rescued your princess." The man lifted his eyebrow again.

"So you're the strange person..." he started, in an angry tone. "...Who almost doomed the rescue mission of our soldiers? The way you look I should have figured that out," he said with a dismissive tone.

"Hey, hey, hey, wait a second." In John's voice was the slight tone of rage audible. "Who almost doomed the mission? My friend and I devised a plan to rescue your princess and your civilians. And I only did it, because I didn't anticipate that someone was even coming, and because someone begged me to help you." He gestured strongly with his free arm and some Cerinians around grew attentive. Sefilia noticed that and was ashamed.

"John, the people are already looking strangely at you," she warned him.

"Let them! I mean, because of my mix in nothing happened to your people, right? I almost lost a leg doing what I did!" The man now stared angrily at John. "You know, I don't think you like it when a stranger comes in and tries to help, let alone get on your good side." Now the older man looked angry at him, as that was the last straw. "I already know that for a fact. Out, isn't it? No? Don't worry; I know where the exit is. And tell Wolferos that—" Before he was able to end his sentence Sefilia stabbed into his ribs with her elbow and slightly kicked against his still broken leg. He flinched slightly from the pain as she pulled him to the exit.

They both stood outside next to the entrance. "That was very uncivil of you!" She was slightly hysterical. "What should the people think of you?"

"You said yourself that people who think of someone badly when they don't know him are close minded. Besides, I just stood up for myself. Ruin the rescue mission… Who does he think he is?"

"You may be right," she admitted, trying to calm down. "But, it still was rude. Apologize, for my sake." She looked at him with big eyes, flattened her ears to her head, and closed her hands hopefully in front of her chest. "Please?"

John got embarrassed and turned red. "Okay, I'll apologize soon, but only for your sake."

"Then that's good." Sefilia smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder and happily closed her eyes. John was even more embarrassed than before, because of the look on her adorable face, causing him to scratch himself on the back of his head.

Sefilia talked again to change the subject. "Do you want to see how our men train?"

"Yeah, of course I do!"

"But don't start arguing again!"

"I'll try my best not to..."

They walked around the barracks and arrived at a big clearing that was surrounded by a large canopy. In the clearance stood some charred and perforated targets, straw puppets, and sandbags. John saw in the distance that there were weapons racks, training dummies, and various other things.

"Apparently no one is training," Sefilia said to herself. "Or they are afraid that I may adopt something." John chuckled a bit.

"No one is training, because they all have to discharge their duties," John turned around. It was the small blue fox Adaril.

"That's why no one is here! Thanks for the information. Did you get in any trouble for the thing this morning?" he asked him.

"Moma told me I shouldn't always talk to strangers, especially when they're not from here," he said a bit mad.

"Don't be angry with her." Sefilia now took the word and she kneeled down to achieve eye contact with Adaril. "She's just worried about you. She doesn't want anything bad to happen to you. That's how mothers are."

"Hey," John interrupted. "Did you follow us?"

The little boy grew red in the face. "Yeah... I didn't have the heart to talk to you. I didn't want to disturb you."

John had a questioning look on his face and that's why Sefilia talked again. "How would you have disturbed us?"

"I didn't want to disturb your whispering of sweet nothings."

John and Sefilia were rather shocked and weren't able to say a word for a while. "We're only friends, right Sefilia?"

"Yeah, it's too early for such a thing. What's going on in your mind?"

"Ha, the both of you got red. If I tell that to mom..." A moment later he ran behind the nearest corner.

"Uh... Well... No one will believe him, right?" John asked, embarrassed and still red.

"You never know..."

"Now I can say, 'what will the people think of you?' Ha, 'She isch getting together with the nexscht bescht stranger'," he said, mimicking an old woman.

"Stop, don't being silly..." She gave him a light, playful slap on his shoulders and laughed. "...Or else someone might hear you and then really believe it." A hint of laughter was in her voice. She now looked at one of the symbol displays close to the entrance on a wall. "We should start to go back to Beseril. It's about time. He should already have finished our clothes, or else we might have to go without any clothes."

"Yeah: I think so too," John admited.

They went from the empty training quarters directly to Beseril's store, but they had to walk for quite a while, because he was farther away then John first thought.

When they arrived, it looked like it did that morning. Display dummies on were both sides and not a soul was inside. But they knew that Beseril was inside and busy with their things for the evening and so they stepped inside and used the bell. "Beseril, it's us again!" Sefilia called and several moments later he came outside the door behind the counter.

"Hello my friends: nice to see you here. I've just finished. Your dress just looks adorable Sefilia and your things turned out good as well, John. Oh, and I repaired your jacket. It looks almost like new. Come on, I can't just wait to show them to you," he beckoned them hectically into the back room and they followed him, without letting him wait a moment longer.

"So, first of all, here is your jacket John." He handed him his jacket that was still hanging on a coat-hanger. There weren't any blemishes on the outside, nor any cuts or tears. "And here is your shirt and the pants." He gave John two more coat-hangers, with which he did his best not to drop them.

"The changing room is over there. You can change into your clothes." Beseril pointed at the other end of the room, where a curtain was hanging.

While John was hobbling to the changing room he heard Beseril talking. "Now I want to show you your dress. It's became a real masterpiece. This time I've excelled even myself!"

John closed the curtain and hung his coat-hangers on the wall of the cabin and had to open his splint. After he managed this he got his pants on, his new shirt, and his repaired jacket. The clothes were very soft and didn't comply, but still they seemed to be very robust. In the changing room was a mirror as high as he was where John could view himself. He twitched everything into the right position as he thought it would fit, opened his jacket, and stepped out.

But when he emerged from the changing room, he didn't care about how he looked, because Sefilia wore her dress.

It had two thin straps, a deeper notch than her blouse, but not too deep or revealing, it hadn't any sleeves, and it was almost long enough to touch the ground. Her back was bare until the dress reached her waist, and where the waist started, the skirt made periodical, perpendicular, very wide waves around the dress. The dress itself was made up of a bright, glittering blue that changed its tone by the brightness of the light, and it matched her fur, her eyes, and her necklace. She turned around on her feet so that John could gaze at her whole dress. In the middle of her tail she had slipped on a white, golden colored ring that wrapped around her tail, holding part of the fur down while allowing the rest to billow out. While he watched her he almost missed the white, wing shaped tattoo on her shoulder blades.

"So, what do you say, John?" He was speechless and had to control himself so as not to drop his jaw.

"Hah, your charmer is speechless." It escaped from Beseril. She wanted to correct him, but then let him in the creed that they were a couple.

Finally, after a short break, John was able to find his voice again. "You just look fantastic." After this declaration the both of them blushed and Beseril chimed in again. "Well, well, young love is just wonderful. You don't have to thank me; I gladly did that." He put a victorious smirk on.

"Your clothes also fit very well, John," Sefilia commented.

"Hopefully… This is the first time that I've worn something like this and I shouldn't make a bad impression at such an event. You did a perfect job on the jacket! It's practically new!"

"This will be a great promotion for my shop. Tell them in any case that these are from me, and then you can have as much of my work as you want, for free of course!" He had one more thing to add. "But, you better not wear the jacket with the rest of your clothes. They don't harmonize at all sweetie. Take this," he reached for John another clothes hanger. "... I also made a sack coat. That has panache and fits you better than that old army jacket. And you won't leave my shop before you've tried it on!" He was determined.

"Alright: then." John laid the jacket down and put it crease-resistant over the back of a chair, put the other coat on, and looked at himself in the mirror.

"You see, that fits much better."

"Yeah, you have a point," John admitted.

"I am the fashion expert here, after all," he commented self-confidently.

"Can you bag everything so that we can take it with us?" Sefilia finally asked him, "We have to prepare for later."

"Then go back into the changing room, my turtle doves, and change your clothes again. And John, watch it and don't make any crinkles in the sack coat!"

John went back into the changing room and put his normal clothes on again before finally putting his beloved jacket on. Taking the clothes off felt way easier than putting them on. He was just unwilling to put the splint on again.

Finally, he wore his normal stuff again, hung his clothes onto the coat hook, and gave them to Beseril. John had finished before Sefilia and watched, while waiting for her, as Beseril carefully folded his clothes and put them in different bags.

Soon after that, Sefilia—who had also finished and brought Beseril her dress—immediately watched as her dress was packed into a bigger bag.

"Have fun this evening, you two," Beseril said to Sefilia and John. He showed them the door to the shop as they headed out.

"Thanks, we will, and thanks allot for your help," John said as he bowed with Sefilia and went back to her house.

**Authors notes:**

**Sorry for letting you wait that long, I had lot's of trouble and I still have it.**

**If you don't like the lenght of the chapters I'll just cut them into pieces, just tell me.**

**Yeah, yeah, new characters and sightseeing in the city and you will know after chapter 10 what's all about those tattoos.**

**Translated with the help of****DarkInSpace**


	10. The Royal Family

**Chapter 10**

**The Royal Family**

It finally grew late and John and Sefillia became frantic. They had to do their best not to be a late audience. Sefilia said they only had an hour when they stood in front of the house.

"Then we really have to hurry," John commented. "I'll get dressed in my bedroom. I'll wait at the entrance."

Sefilia nodded. "Good, I will wait for you as well."

Both off them went up the stairs in a hurry only to diverge and head in different directions.

John knew where his room was, sort of. He had to open several doors until he found the one with the Bafomdads. They squeaked happily when they saw him, but he was only able to give a short answer. "Hey." In a rush, he dressed himself and threw his normal clothes on the bed, discarding them without a second thought.

While he was dressing he tried to explain to them that he wasn't able to play with them because he had to go to the king. They needed some time until they understood what he meant, but as soon as he left they were already playing with each other.

John was faster than Sefilia and waited at the entrance for her. While he was waiting, he tied his shoes thoroughly and efficiently so they wouldn't come undone at the wrong moment and make him fall.

While he was engaged, he remembered the tattoo again. "It has the same color and the same pattern that the ones the princess and the soldiers have. Are there some similarities?" When he stood up, he viewed himself in the mirror and tried to reorder his messy hair.

After a few minutes Sefilia finally came down the stairs. In addition to the ring on her tail, she had a clip in her hair and a small, glistening silver handbag. She went slow as she made her way down the stairs, so as not to fall down. They then looked at each other and John was caught speechless. "You really want to go without your splint? That could slow down the healing process, you know?"

"I thought that it would look improper and embarrassing if a guest with a fine suit, while in company with a lady, should wear a splint at his leg. They could think that I'm a wimp and then they would never take me seriously."

"You might have a point. But you will take the crutch with you, without protest!" She decided strictly. "We better leave, or else we'll be late."

They walked steadily down the street as night slowly settled in. "We will make it in time. There's a good while left," she said after the first several hundred meters.

"Well then, I should ask you about manners for when we get there. What do I have to watch, so I don't look rude?"

"First of all, you shouldn't argue with the people at the reception." She smirked as John made a sarcastic laugh at her comment. "Then, you should remember that you are only allowed to speak when the king or the queen requests or asks you something. Oh and when they greet you, you have to bow to them—if you stop in front of the throne."

John nodded. "Okay, that shouldn't be too hard… Oh, I have one more—last—question, but it may be a bit awkward for you." John put a hint of stress on the word 'bit'.

"Well, shoot. I'll tell you if it's too personal."

"Earlier when you had the dress on in Beseril's shop, I saw the tattoo on your back. Where does it come from?"

"Well, this 'tattoo'—as you say—is on every citizen. They're given when you turn a certain age. A machine takes your DNA," she explained.

"And that's it? What do you mean when you said, 'as I say'?" John asked.

"Yes, almost, but it's a very special machine. It's ancient and was built by the first Cerinians. It gives you a marking—that's what we call it—but not in the normal way you get a tattoo. When you reach the age to go to school the process gets arranged. You get drenched in a bright light and then lightening strikes you on your body and depending on what kind of person you are, the marking varies. The design of the marking is a design that the machine thinks is the best option for you. After that, you get asked what you want to do in the future and then you're given the meaning of your marking. Most of the time, the wish and the meaning of the marking are the same. But you can change it later if you still want to," she explained.

John needed a while to handle all this information, but finally he understood it... most of it.

"You should have been at my place. They just threw us into school for years, until we were able to decide what job we wanted to do. If you didn't have a job you just kept learning," John compared. "I'm glad that I left that behind," Sefilia was happy for him and smiled. "So, is it possible that when the king appoints me as a citizen of Cerinia that I get one too?"

"I don't know, it's never been used by a human. You could also just get a skin rash that never disappears or something like that."

"Let's hope not..."

Shortly after that they reached the long stairs of the palace. John looked up to get a better view of it, but it had already become dark and he only was able to see the bright windows of lighted rooms. The stairs were brightly lit by lamps so that no one was able to pass unseen. It was guarded on both sides by soldiers and before Sefilia and John were able to go into the palace, they were stopped by two guards that were in their way.

"Stop! What do you wish to do in the palace?" One of the guards asked the question while the other one watched John skeptically.

"The king called for us," Sefilia answered with haste.

"Then show me the invitation, please."

John grew scared. 'Invitation?' he thought. 'That must be the letter the messenger brought us. Sefilia had it at the time; hopefully she's still got it with her.' He looked at her hopefully.

She readily pulled it out of her handbag and showed it to the two guards.

"Good, you are allowed to pass." The guards then stepped aside to make space as John and Sefillia made their ways into the palace.

After they went up several steps, John turned his head to Sefilia. "Good thing you brought the letter. I would have lost it somewhere."

"I have to admit, I almost forgot it as well," she mentioned with a small giggle. "It took so much time to dress myself, because I had lost it somewhere and I had to look for it. Luckily it was lying under my dressing gown on the bed."

When they reached the end of the more than one hundred stairs, they were again stopped by two guards and Sefilia had to show the letter again. As before, John was heavily examined by the two guards and they gave the expression that they shouldn't let them pass despite the letter. Despite their wishes, they let John pass.

Now the both of them stood in front of a big, white gate with golden decorations, which were reinforced on both sides by wide and tall pillars.

They walked straight to the door and while they were coming closer it opened up on the inside and a male Cerinian with an acute suit awaited the both of them. He was about as tall as Sefilia and looked very spruce.

"Sadly the king is busy with several other things," he said, breathing through his nose to Sefilia. "He will greet you soon. Follow me into the holding area, please." It appeared that he had totally ignored John and the servant turned around without expecting an answer and started to go.

They walked through a large, spacious corridor with black and white tiles. At the side stood busts with the effigies of Cerinians. 'Probably their past kings and leaders,' John thought.

On the walls hung paintings of immense jungles and grasslands with Cerinians clad in armor, but John already knew about these. These were the pictures that hung in the museum, but these appeared to be the original ones.

Hanging from the ceiling were chandeliers made up of polished, golden brass. But they only hung there for decoration, because the actual light came from the ceiling, but John wasn't able to locate any lamps.  
Every branch they reached, where the hallways and corridors split, stood at least two guards. Each looked incredibly bored, but stood straight and remained in an arduous position.

Their steps resounded through the corridor so that they were audible in the distance. It was a bit awkward to John that his crutch drowned out the steps of Sefilia and the servant well, but it only appeared to bug the servant.

They turned several times until they finally reached a corridor that was about the size of a hallway. In that hallway the walls were bare, devoid of any pictures or chandeliers, but there were small holes in the wall, all in irregular shapes, that allowed a view into the outside world.

While they walked through the hallway, John looked through the openings outside and saw lanterns that cast light through a garden, with different kinds of flowerbeds, trees, and a three storied fountain that shot a stream of water into the air that was equal in height to the fountain. The flowerbeds were less interesting, because the buds were closed and John only saw a green field.

Finally they arrived at a big gate, which was almost as big as the entrance gate of the palace. The servant stepped forward and opened a normal sized door that was beside the gate, yet several yards away from it. "Please wait here until I retrieve you, the king will greet you soon."

Sefilia and John stepped in. It was a relatively large room with a few desks and chairs, several very noble-looking couches, and even a bookcase. When both of them were inside the room, the door was closed silently behind them.

"Let's curl up a bit," Sefilia said and sat down on one of the very comfortable looking couches. She sat down very carefully so as not to crumple her dress. She watched her tail as well, because of the ring around it. John saw that on one of the tables stood a bowl of fruits, but he thought that it wasn't the right moment to eat, even though he was hungry, and so he sat down besides Sefilia in an act of politeness and paid attention so he didn't sit down on her tail.

"The palace changed," she suddenly said.  
John was a bit confused. "What do you mean it changed?"  
"When I was a child, I was once here for one time. Back then the old king reigned. He was very ill. My father was called to him to examine him and to check what illness he had and if he would get well," she explained. "But dad wasn't able to do anything and several days later the king died and his son had to take the throne. He was a very gracious king and was loved by our people."

"That's horrible..." John paused for thoughts.

"And they were able to reform the palace in such a short time?" John asked.

"No, the form stayed as it was. Only the decoration changed."

Sefilia was, in John's eyes, noticeably nervous. Her fur ruffled up and she stared at one point on the wall opposite to her. John tried to calm her down and looked into her eyes. "Keep calm, relax." She looked confused at him, but before she was able to say a word he continued. "You know, I should be the one that's nervous, not you."

"I'm afraid that I'll do something embarrassing, like step on my dress and fall on the floor. Why aren't you nervous?" she finally asked.

"To tell the truth, I don't know. I feel a bit weird that I attract a lot of attention with my appearance, but that isn't it." He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe it's the small feeling of safety that I have, because I rescued the princess. Maybe it's just the fact that I'll have friends no matter what."

"You put that really well." John grew coy. "We've only known each other for a while, but if you have to leave, I'll beg for your stay."

"With that you risk getting thrown out yourself and I can't let that happen." John argued. "You have everything you need and you shouldn't risk that for someone you've only known for a day."

"That's not right." She shook her head. "When my brother left my life grew lonely and empty. There were some men who liked me, but when I saw their thoughts I saw their true intentions," her voice grew dark, angry. "They wanted to shortchange me to get in contact with my brother to make acareer in the military. But they didn't have had the valor to protect me, if necessary." She calmed down again. "And then I saw you and your thoughts. You were just like me, but you had the bravery to continue and not to give up. And for that I look up to you. You don't know much about our world, but you're doing your best to change that."

After she ended her sentence, silence stepped in and John stared at the wall opposite of them. "Wow ..." he said, flattered. "I never thought that something like that was in me. I just wanted to start from the beginning and leave my past behind." Now she looked at him, longingly. "I think it's nice right now, at this moment, and I wish it would stay so. I won't let this be destroyed, ruined, or wrecked by someone else. But remember, I would never do something that could harm you or one of my friends and I would never allow you to destroy your life, just to help me."

"But what if I want to do just that and I wouldn't let you stop me?"

John laid his head in his left hand. "I never imagined that you could be that determined."

"Well ..." She shrugged her shoulders, closed her eyes, and offered a kind smile. "That's how I am."

Shortly after that the both of them heard a silent clicking sound from the lock in the door. It was the servant.

"Our majesty is waiting for you now. Come with me please." The both of them stood and went to the exit.

"My dress isn't wrinkled and my hair is okay, right?" Sefilia asked hectically.

"Yeah, you look great. Don't worry, everything will be just fine." John tried to calm her down again.

"Should I hold your handbag, as long as you are talking with the king and queen?" The servant asked the question while they were walking out of the room. "Yes, thank you." Sefilia answered short and to the point as she handed him her small bag.

He took it with one of his hands.

After the door to the relative room was closed again, the servant opened the gate with a touch of his other hand. It opened up slowly but steadily and the servant had enough time to step aside and to place himself in front of Sefilia and John at the wall.

The first thing John saw was that the hall behind the gate was very bright and blinding. He had to squint to allow his eyes to slowly adjust, Sefillia doing the same. After the gate was completely opened, the servant begged them to step inside, and although they weren't able to identify what was inside, they thought it would be best to go in.

Their vision improved when they stepped into the hall.

As they already knew, the hall was immense, but it was much larger than John expected. Sefillia's house would've fit inside the palace with breathing room and John had to concentrate to keep from gawking.

Along the inside of the hall were windows that were wider than John was tall and were as tall as the ceiling down to the height of John's hips. They each had a different symbol, but they didn't make any sense to him until he managed to see a symbol like the tattoo that Sefillia had.

The windows represented the citizens, their abilities, and the work they had done.

The walls of the hall were made up of immense rocks that had been decorated with ash colored marble and several other symbols that strongly resembled the ones from the main gate. In front of them was a wide, red carpet that was several centimeters away from the sides of the golden symbols, similar to the marking on the princess' arm.

The places that weren't covered by the carpet were also made up of ash colored marble that reflected everything like a mirror.

As Sefilia had told him, there were two guards in front of each other, standing at regular intervals. They gazed, like the guards from the corridors, dead ahead and didn't acknowledge Sefilia or John when they passed them. Their armor was polished so that they reflected the things around them like a mirror. They carried spears, which they held firmly on the ground with their blunt, rounded ends so that they stood straight into the air and the sharp points ended beside the faces of their wielders.

They were almost identical to the ones from the soldiers in the forest, but these ones were golden and the crystals on the tops of the staves were surrounded by glassy mantles. They wore on their belts long swords hidden away in white sheaths.

Near the end of the room were six silver steps and at the top of the platform sat three persons in three thrones. They were carved out of a brown, noble looking stone that shined like the floors and windows around them.

On the highest sat the king. He looked like every other Cerinian—like a fox—but he didn't have a pointed nose like the rest. His was wider, and in general, had a more dominant look. He also had, like the others, larger eyes than humans.

The king wore a basely, golden, round crown that fit perfectly on his head. He wore a dark blue robe, which—like the crown—fit perfectly around his body. The sleeves of his robe went down to his wrists. His hands were decorated with a golden ring on each ring finger. He wore a blue corset that was decorated with several symbols. On his shoulders was a light brown coat attached. Where his shirt ended, just below his waist, were loose fitting tan pants made of silk that were fitted perfectly to his figure. He wore on his feet leather shoes that had a brown tone to match his pants and they were shaped like the metal shoes the soldiers wore.

On his left on a slightly lower throne sat his wife. Instead of a crown, she wore a golden, curled tiara with a blue jewel on its head. She had, like every Cerinian woman, a shorter nose, large eyes, a catlike face, and catlike ears as well. Her dark blue hair covered her forehead in random streaks and only the largest part of her tiara, the jewel, was completely visible.

As far John was able to see, her hair was very long and went at least down to her hips. The fur pattern in her face was more pronounced than Sefilia's, as it contained more white that quickly moved to a dark blue. John concluded that she had to be older than Sefillia.

The queen wore a dark blue dress that held silver symbols that were different than Sefilia's. It had long sleeves that went over her wrists and hid them away from view. Her feet wore golden sandals that wrapped around the heel of her foot, but left enough space for her toes.

To the King's right, on the lowest of the three thrones, sat Krystal. She wore a silver tiara and was the spitting image of her mother. She had on a silver colored, sleeveless dress and silver, open sandals. Apparently she was happy to see John and smiled when she saw him moving towards them.

Behind the three loomed a window that reached from the floor to the roof and this one was by far larger than all the others and had numerous symbols and pictures. John knew the meaning of this window, because he remembered the marking on Krystal's arm. There were also symbols on it he had never seen before, like the sun, which had a helix drawn in the middle and on the borders of the image where the helix ended, were triangles around the edges of the circle, pointing away from the middle. When John and Sefilia finally arrived at the foremost soldiers they both bowed low and waited for the king to address them.

It was a deep, but friendly voice that greeted them. "First of all, I want to thank you Master O'Neil for saving my daughter and many of our people from the hands of the Sharpclaw." John didn't want to cut him off and nodded thankfully. "You risked your life, risked it for people you don't even know… What persuaded you to do this?"

John tried to sound as formal and clear as possible. "A man that I hadn't met asked that of me. He tended to my wounds when I was injured due to an attack by a Sharpclaw warrior that left me helpless. Sire, his name was Randorn." When the king, his wife, and Krystal heard that name their ears rose up in curiosity and Sefilia was surprised by John's diction. "He explained the situation to me and when I agreed to his request he gave me a sword that had been created by your blacksmiths. He also explained to me its peculiarities and ordered me away on a CloudRunner. At this point in time I thought that I would at least risk my life for people who deserve to live, especially because of Randorn's kindness to me. I would have died for you as well, sire. The rest is just a tragedy that is known simply as my old life and with that I don't want to bore you, your majesty." John bent down again, but not as deep as when they first met. Sefillia had a saddened look on her face.

"I understand." The king took up speaking again. "My daughter said that you were different, but I see now that we think the same way and sacrifice the things we love for the benefit of others..."

He paused and his wife now rose to speak. "What do you think now of your life, Master O'Neil?" Her voice was a very hearty and provident one.

"I now have new courage that has given me the strength to face life here." He looked over to Sefilia. "I found friends who support me and I now wish that I not die an early death, but if someone seeks my assistance, I'd help them to the best of my abilities."

"I hope that you are on the mend and that you were tended to in a sufficient manner," The king continued. "Yes, your majesty. Sefilia does fantastic work. My strength is coming back steadily and fast. The injury is relatively recent, but I'm almost able to walk as I did before. As soon as I'm fully cured I would love to enter your service if you wish for me to do so." John bent down again.

The queen addressed him. "Indeed. I see that you are keen to life here. You will soon acquire a duty in due time, Master O'Neil. "

"I want to thank you in person for helping me, John." it was Krystal who talked. "First of all, I was suspicious of you and didn't know if I should trust you or not. But when I saw that you shed the blood of the enemy and yourself to protect me, I knew that you had come to rescue me." Something was different—her accent was gone. He thought that it would have been a stupid question and just answered.

"I thank you, princess. Your kindness is overwhelming. However, you have no need to thank me as I would have acted in such a manner regardless of the situation." John paused, smiling. "I probably would've acted the same way if someone popped out of the blue like that to help me too," he said, his sense of formality gone. While he was talking, he bent down again, this time in Krystal's direction.

"Now, to you, Sefilia," The queen addressed Sefilia, who grew scared. It was almost like she was expecting punishment for something, but she still answered. "Y-Your majesty…"

"Your researches, are they getting along well?"

"V-Very well, your majesty, but I still require more time." She answered nervously.

"What kind of impression has Master O'Neil made on you?" The queen asked as if John wasn't in the room.

Sefilia and John looked at each other through the corner of their eyes and Sefilia answered. "He is very… likeable."

"Likeable?" The king asked in a startled manner as Sefillia turned red under her blue fur and John grew shy.

"I-I mean, he feels obligated and cooperative and does his best to treat me kindly and respect me." The king and queen didn't look satisfied, so Sefilia went on. "He also is very interested in our culture and doesn't show any lack of interest. He really wants to learn to integrate himself better into our society."

That satisfied the both of them. "Good, good..." The queen began. "As I see, you are really serious about John's intentions." He nodded approvingly. "But, if you wish to learn of us, we want to know more about your people. We now know your character trait, but we also want to know more about your social life. I will you, Sefilia..." She pointed with a bony finger from her right hand to Sefilia, "To personally write everything Master O'Neil says about his people. You may do so at your leisure as the task isn't demanding of you." Sefilia bent down, deeply. "As you wish: your majesty."

The king rose to speak again. "My daughter has told me that you fought bravely and boldly against the hostile forces. Your abilities should be at least a match for our soldiers."

"I haven't had the chance to test my abilities against your soldiers, sire, so I can't tell you if that applies in my particular case. I learned on my home world to defend myself and only had the chance to fight against my own kind."

"Your home world… don't you ever want to go back? And your race: how is it?"

"No, your majesty, I don't ever wish to go back." John paused for thoughts. "My race? Mankind… mankind is a greedy race that desires power and self satisfaction, seeking to fulfill their wishes at any cost, even if it meant the destruction of others." A small hate and sadness bubbled up inside of John. "I lost my father in those conflicts. He protected his land, everyone he loved, and the things he held dear so that I might be safe, as well as the rest of our people. I hold the memories of him and my mother and the things I cherish dear, but as for the rest? I don't hold a guilty conscience."

Sefilia, like Krystal, felt his sadness with such clarity that they had to fight tears. This didn't go unnoticed by the king, but he didn't digress.

"I seem to understand your situation and despite the acts that you related to your race I want to invite you to life in our capital city. As a guest, Cerinia and I invite you to life in our palace, in return for freeing my daughter." Sefilia was ecstatic over this declaration, but it ailed her too. If John accepted the offer, he would disappear out of her life like her brother did so long ago.

"I'll happily accept your offer, your majesty." Sefilia's heart almost stood still and sank in shock. Her glossy eyes widened. "However, I much prefer to stay in Sefillia's company. That is, if she doesn't mind." Sefilia's sadness lifted and her eyes turned to John, who also looked to see her happy and smiling.

"What is your answer, Miss Wolferos?" Sefillia looked towards the queen.

"He may stay in my home as long as he wishes." She answered, happily jittering.

"So be it. I wish to talk to you in private, Master O'Neil, but time grows short with passing moments."

"War has no patience. I understand your obligations, your majesty."John bowed towards the queen.

"One of our servants will escort you out of the palace. Go in peace, Master O'Neil." The king outstretched his arm and ordered a servant to take Sefilia and John as they bowed one last time in unison.

A servant came from a door off to the side, bent down in front of the king and showed Sefilia and John the way out. "This way, please." They were led through the main entrance into the hall.

"That wasn't a long conversation, was it?" John whispered to Sefilia while they walked in the direction of the gate. But she didn't say a word. She just elbowed John lightly in the ribs.

When the gate closed behind them, Sefilia wasn't able to hold back her tears of joy and now they went down her cheeks as she turned red. "Thanks, John. I thought I was going to be alone again…" She almost forgot. "I elbowed you because it's impolite to talk out loud when you haven't been addressed and are in the same room with royalty." John just nodded.

Before she was able to wipe her tears away, John wiped them with the back of his hand. "I found a new home in you. I can't and won't leave you." They now looked at each other. Sefilia was still crying and John continued wiping her tears away for her. They were interrupted by a loud grunt.

They pulled themselves together, because they knew that they were being watched. "Please, do your best to follow me," the servant said with a bored, obnoxious voice, handing Sefillia her bag. The servant led them the same way out of as when they came in. It was different on the way out. They could look at each other without seeing each other a maddening shade of red after being caught in that personal moment between the two of them.

When they finally arrived at the main stairs, the servant bowed in front of them. They returned the gesture and went away slowly, now talking to each other, down the stairs.

"I didn't know that you could talk so formally!" Sefillia nudged John with her elbow.

"My mother did her best to raise me like a gentleman." She laughed at his comment. "She was lucky it worked." He raised his free arm, as if he didn't care. "Hey, nobody's perfect…" He laughed and smirked.

It took him a moment to remember, but he asked Sefillia, "What was that you said a while ago? I'm very… likeable, huh?"

"You know what I meant..." She gave him another friendly jostle. "No, I don't." John lied coyly. "How likeable do you think I am?" His grin spread from ear to ear. "Did someone mix something in your food?"

"No, I'm just happy, that's all."

**Authors notes:**

**I finally found some time to translate a bit of the story again and sent it to my beta reader DarkInSpace and here it is.**

**Sorry, it's not that long, but at least it contains a bit romantic :D**

**I'll need quite a while for the next one, because of some year ending exams and some stupid teachers -.-**

**But you can look forward for the next chapter and several hard feelings (good and bad ones)**

**SabreWolferos**


	11. Trouble in Paradise

_**WAZAAAAAAAAAP!**_

_**Sorry guys, I just had to that :D**_

_**I'm so fucking happy that our money crisis is over and it also makes me happy to say, THE SHOW MUST GO ON!**_

_**I didn't find someone who wanted to buy Cerinia but**_

_**HERE IT IS**_

**Chapter 11**

**Trouble in Paradise**

While they were walking back to Sefilia's house, John's clothes started to get a bit poky and annoying and he started to ease it up.

"What are you doing John?" Sefilia asked.

"I am curling it up a bit. To be honest I don't like clothes like these at all, but today I made an exception. For your sake."

"For my sake?"

"I, as a gentleman couldn't allow that you go in such a nice dress to the king while I stand with my old shabby shreds besides you. That would have been embarrassing, wouldn't it?"

"Not as embarrassing as what happened with the audience." Sefilia said turning them both turned red because they both almost had forgot what had happened.

John cleared his throat and said " ... Yeaahhh right, I'm sorry, I'm getting sentimental."

"It makes no difference to me." Sefilia admitted shyly and got a little redder.

"You're not getting red, are you?" John asked.

Sefilia a bit frightened bit her cheek and answered nervously. "No, no. Why should I? And what about you? How did you feel today ... and yesterday?"

With that she hit a wound of John's because he hadn't told her his feelings for her. He lost his voice and there only came inscrutable words out of his mouth, "I ... yes ... uhm ... you know ..." The stronger he tried to find reasonable words the redder his face turned, Sefilia had to giggle and then laugh, now she knew deep inside her that John liked her too. After a while John gave up and started remained silent.

They now walked back down the street, on which they almost walked on the way to the palace in a fast walk; yet they had more than enough time to talk.

"It looks like you have to disclaim a while for your marking." Sefilia started after a long talking break again. First John looked at her questioningly, then he remembered the conversation he had with her a little while ago, he had to scratch himself on his head.

"Yeah ... It's too bad about that ... The king hopefully will accept me as an inhabitant and the other citizens as well."

"What's that?" Sefilia now mentioned for the first time, the chain of John's adherer which he was wearing around his neck.

"Huh? Ah this. That's just an adherer."

"Don't women normally wear such things?"

"Yes, indeed, but this one is a special one." John admitted.

"What's special about it?" Sefilia asked and became a bit curious and so sounded in her voice.

"In this adherer are pictures of my family, of my father, my mother and my grandmother."

Sefilia hesitated at first. She wanted to see how his parents looked like, but then she remembered what happened when they looked at old pictures the last time.

"You can look at them and I promise not to sentimentalize." He smirked after that assertion a bit again and took off his adherer and gave it to Sefilia.

At first she didn't know how to open it, because the techniques of the humans and the Cerinians were greatly different. But finally she found a small clip which held the three parts of the adherer together and opened it. It was already dark so she had to stand under a lantern to identify the people on the pictures. They were round pictures, cut fitting to the border of the adherer. On the first picture she saw a brown haired man in an uniform, who's face got crossed by a large scar, but he smiled heartily despite it.

"That's my father."

"Yes, you got his hair and exactly the same haircut like him." They both had to smile a bit. On the next picture she saw a woman with blonde, long hair, she smiled as well. It was an older picture, but John didn't care about that, "And you got her eyes."

Now she turned it over. There was another woman on the picture, but she clearly looked a lot older than his mother and her face was wrinkled. Sefilia was sure that she saw a small smile under the all the folds.

"My mother always told me that I got my kindness from her, but I'm not so sure about that."

She looked full of expectation at where the last picture should be, but it was empty.

"What about this place here?"

"Well, I didn't had any picture or photo of Ethan, that's why I decided to let this place empty ... up to now."

Sefilia now looked at him. "What do you mean 'up to now'?"

"I thought if you maybe allow me to take a picture of you I'd you inside of it."

"Of me?" Sefilia gasped, pointed with her finger to herself and couldn't believe it.

"If you don't want than ... "

"No, no, I would love to, it just surprised me a bit that you want to place a picture of me into the adherer of your family. You quasi-ingested me as a member of the family." she said going slightly pink. "Rather than a very good friend."

"Thanks Sefilia."

"I have to thank you; you made my life livable again." She got full on red again and without knowing what she did, she kissed John on his cheek, causing him to blush bright red.

"Here.", she gave him the adherer again to distract him of what she just did.

"What ... ? Oh, yes, thank you." He said bashfully and put the adherer around his neck and tucked it under his clothes.

"Come on." Sefilia said and without warning Sefilia started to run and let the dumbfounded John stand there. Her blue hair and her bushy tail waved harmoniously in the wind and he looked after her until she disappeared in the dark. He just had to handle the things which just happened, until he noticed that Sefilia wasn't with him anymore.

"Hey, wait!" He shouted and he ran as fast as his wound allowed him after her. At this point of time John didn't know that he and Sefilia were being watched from one of the roofs of the houses which surrounded them.

Sefilia of course reached the house first. She was completely out of breath and sweating a bit but won the race. She went inside, but let the door open for John, because he was sure to need a while. It slowly cooled down and she sure would have caught a cold if she had waited for him outside in her thin and airy dress. After that she decided to change. John was right; her clothes had slowly became really uncomfortable. She went into her room and closed the door so that John didn't burst accidently into her room at the wrong time.

"I know that he... he likes me, but what would the others would think of such a relationship?" She thought aloud and just watched herself in her underwear in the high mirror in her room.

"That Sefilia ..." John thought while he was walking slowly back to Sefilia's house again. He chuckled and shook his head a bit "... one second you think you've gotten her figured out and then she kisses me without warning on the cheek and disappears then."

He touched the place with his free hand where her lips touched him the first time. It was no dream ... it was real! Someone liked him like he was; even the fact that he looked completely different didn't bother her. John was really lucky that he found his salvation. He smiled and chuckled a bit silently.

His happy mood however found an abrupt end when he walked past a dark alley. John was totally sunken in his happy thoughts and didn't notice that he was being watched and that his spectator slowly crept out of the dark alley into his direction. When John had passed the narrow street, a dark shadow shot from out of nowhere. John became dazed and he collapsed allowing the stalker to drag him back into the alley.

The poison didn't last long and he quickly came back to consciousness.

"What the hell!" John said but before he was able to recuperate, a violent kick hit his chest causing the air to rush out of his lungs and stopped his cursing. He had to breathe hard to get air again in his lungs. But before he was able to talk again he looked up and realized his situation. He sat on a stone cold ground, his hands were handcuffed behind his back and he wasn't alone.

In front of him stood a person that was about the same size as him, the person was hooded and his tail was hidden under his clothes but that didn't made a difference to John because he barely knew people apart on Cerinia. John was more surprised than frightened; he didn't expect getting robbed on his second evening on a new planet, in a new city.

"What do you wan-" John said before he was kicked again in the chest, but this time his stalker answered. "Leave her alone." The voice said in a dark and unsympathetic tone.

"What!"

This time he punched John into his face which started bleeding immediately. "You shall leave her alone."

John again had to gasp for breath, but he also wanted to answer his attacker. "Who? Krystal? Sorry, but she is way too young for me and not at all my type." John said then spit the blood from his nose which had collected in his mouth.

Now the hooded person gripped John with one hand at his throat, pulled him up the height of his own face and pressed him hard against the wall so that he barely ran out of breath. He came so close with his face to John that he almost saw his eyes under his hood, "You shall leave Sefilia alone. She is better off without you... human."

John became enraged because he guessed who was under the mask. First he coughed the blood out of his airway before saying. "I understand ... You are one of her old adorers... One of those bastards, who just wanted to take an advantage of her to get closer to her brother... That bastard, who doesn't find it necessary to take care of his own sister, when she needed him most! And you don't even have the courage to say it directly to my face without your mask." John again had to cough and person let off him so that he quickly sank to the ground.

"That's my last warning human... steer clear of Sefilia, or you're dead!" he again drew the needle with which he dazed John with, out of his sleeve and jabbed it into his jugular. John again lost conscious and awoke shortly after that besides the alley where he got assaulted. He found his rake lying next to him. He slowly stood up and put his rake under his arm again and slowly went away from the alleyway and went to the middle of the street.

"What the Hell was wrong with that guy?" John thought as he now again went in the direction of Sefilia's house. "One thing is sure that guy had been watching us. Better I don't tell her what happened, she just will be worrying for nothing and probably calling the police or something like that. Ah, there it is. I was already thinking I was lost."

When he closed up, he saw that Sefilia let the door open, "She must be changing at the moment. Hmmm... I should do that to else his shirt will kill me."

Sefilia had totally forgot the time and all at once heard the closing of the front-door, "That has to be John! And I'm still standing here in my underwear!" She said and took a fast gaze into her shelf and rummaged dark orange trousers and a bright orange shirt out of it and took them fast on. She slipped into her sandals and went to the entry hall to greet John.

"What happened to you!" Sefilia asked slightly aroused and hysterical, when she saw that his new outfit was covered in dirt and that his nose was bleeding.

"I... um..." John said and quickly though up an excuse, "Yes? I'm listening!", "I slipped off and landed on my nose, when I tried to catch up with you.", he told her lies.

'Hopefully she believes that.' he thought and then he became worried, when he remembered that she could read minds. He started to sweat.

"Really?" Sefilia blurted out. Secretly she tried to read his mind, but everything she saw was herself and she couldn't make out any of the rest because he was too disarranged. "Then go ahead into the bathroom and clean yourself." Sefilia sighed. "I'll go and get something for your nose."

She really believed him! He again thought how much luck he had, while he was watching her going into the kitchen. He did as he was ordered and went into the bathroom on the second floor, while walking he held with his free hand his nose so that he didn't get any blood on the clean ground.

'Phew, almost thought that she figured it out but she shouldn't be told yet. Not now, when everything is going right for her again.' He thought, while he was agonizing himself up the stairs with his face and his stomach still hurting.

At the same time Sefilia was looking for an ice bag in the kitchen, which she could give to John. 'I think he lied to me. When he really fell on his nose, why did he have dirt on his butt? And at least he wasn't drunk. He, as a fighter, should react to that and should at least fight with his hands... He is hiding something from me... I'll risk a look later. Ah, there it is...' she thought when finally she found a small ice bag, which was frozen solid in the freezer of her fridge.

She hurried, because the ice bag was very cold and already started to melt in the warm air of her house.

John was just about to clean his dirty face, when Sefilia stepped into the bath, "Take the ice bag. It's cold, but at least it'll help your wounds." She said and handed him the small ice bag which he took it gratefully.

He was still leaning against the wash-bowl and watched his blood dripping onto the white chinaware. He immediately put the ice bag onto his still, slightly bleeding nose and cringed a bit because of the sudden cold.

Sefilia had to giggle. "I warned you that it is cold. Just keep it on till the bleeding stops. While you're doing that I'll go and get your other clothes so that you can change."

"Thanks, they should still be on the bed if our friends didn't fool around with them." John said smiled a bit with his somewhat pale lips.

" I'll be right back." Sefilia said before she left the room again and went into John's. She slowly went in without turning on the light switch and saw that the Bafomdads had curled themselves up to a small plushy huddle on a pillow. She then saw that everything was lying in its right place. As John had said; his clothes were laid on the bed and they were only a bit creased.

Back in the bathroom the vixen laid Johns clothes on the edge of the bathtub and wanted to take a look at John's nose. It just wasn't bleeding and that made the process easier.

"I don't know much about your body, but it doesn't look like it is broken." Sefilia observed.

"I doesn't feel broken either." John affirmed. "And how do our friend doing?" He asked.

"Good, they are sleeping right now so be quiet and be careful that you won't wake them up." Sefilia warned him.

John nodded "I will be careful; don't worry." He paused a second, "I don't want to cause any inconvenience, but..."

"But?" She assumed and hopped secretly that he would tell her now the truth about what really happened.

"Do you have some fruits here? I got a bit hungry, because off all the commotion tonight." He said and scratched abashedly the back of his head.

"Well... Yeah, no problem. I have more than enough fruits inside the house, but I can also cook you something if you want."

"Don't bother yourself; fruits are more than enough at the moment."

"Then change your clothes and just throw the dirty ones into the basket. They'll get washed with my other clothes tomorrow. As long as you do I'll go and bring the fruits into the living room."

John nodded in thanks and she answered with a friendly smile and shortly closed her eyes while doing so, and without another word she left the room.

He removed his uncomfortable, dirty, bloody and sweaty clothes and threw them, as he was told into the basket to the rest of her dirty clothes. Now he only wore his underpants and started freeze and a bit to shiver because the bath wasn't properly heated at the moment.

"At least he is ok." Sefilia thought while she was preparing some fruits for John and herself. "I'll just prepare different fruits. There sure will be something he likes." she put different kinds of fruits on a plate. After she was totally sure that John would get enough, she took a second plate and prepared something for herself. But she wasn't that hungry and only brought some grapes with her. She went with both plates into the living room, put them on the desk and waited for John.

John changed as fast as he could, he didn't want Sefilia to wait for him. He went with a speedy walking pace back to Sefilia's living room where she already ate some of her grapes, "That has to be my serving than... ", John hinted at the plate with the several kinds of fruits, "That's right; I wasn't so hungry and just got some grapes for myself."

They sat down besides each other on a couch and ate their fruits in silence.

Sefilia freed them after a while of that quietness. "What will you do, if the king assigns you to the military?" John choked on that sudden and surprisingly question. When he ended with coughing he answered her.

"Well, I sure would have to train with them and to go on missions with them... But don't worry, as soon as my term or my trainings is over, I will come back here. I'll probably smell repulsive, but that shouldn't bother you after I took a shower." despite his cheery talk Sefilia seemed to be a bit bummed out and similar to a cat's ears, hers laid down sadly at her head.

"I also could say that I don't want to join the military, that would indeed sound a bit flakey because I said I would do everything...", but Sefilia interrupted him.

"It's all right, they don't train often and not very long. They also don't go too far away because either they live there or Sabre wants them to do some extra training."

"Because they are not good enough?" John asked.

"Yeah."

"No problem, I'm not thaaat bad in fighting. I'll show your brother that I'm no battle fodder." He said and just had to smirk a bit keenly.

"Don't overdo yourself, or else you'll be in my praxis again." She warned him sternly yet anxiously.

"I'll be careful." He said and smirked once more at an attempt to calm Sefilia. John almost cleared his plate. "Phew... I'm full, that was an overkill."

"And how did it taste?" Sefilia asked curiously.

"It was delicious, sweat, sour, balmy and even spicy. The perfect dessert!"

"I'm pleased to hear that." Sefilia said as she put on a happy smile and her eyes sparkled with happiness. Sefilia began to yawn long and in copious amounts.

"I think it's about time to go to sleep." John concluded.

"Yeah, I think so too." Sefilia said as she reached for one of the two plates.

"Wait, I want to help you cleaning up at least." John said and grasped with his free hand at the dishes.

As he closed his hand realized he didn't hold one of the dishes in his light grip, but something soft, warm and furry. Sefilias Hand. They both looked dreamily into each other's eyes, both rested for a while in this condition of absent mindedness and again turned red, until John was finally released out of that trance similar in circumstance.

"Sorry..." He said and let go of Sefilia's Hand and grabbed for the dishes which laid under.

"No problem." She answered, embarrassment clear in her tone and facial features.

They again went back into the kitchen and put the dishes into the utility sink. Sefilia demanded to clean the dishes and so John used the time. While Sefilia wasn't watching he took a long knife with is sheath out of a drawer and hid it in his sleeve. In front of Sefilia he pretended as if he wasn't doing anything.

They both left the kitchen and went up the main stairs up to the first floor till the end where they stopped. "Good night Sefilia."

"Good night John, and remember that your friends are still sleeping."

John just turned around when Sefilia suddenly went to him, hugged him fast and then disappeared in her room.

John became confused again. He knew that she liked him but she hadn't said the three critical words yet.

He scratched himself a bit at his chin and thought. "The guys normally say that... I should tell her, but... it's still very... early... for something like that. There will be a time but… not yet."

He went back into the guest room, opened and closed the door and silently, not to wake his friends he slowly laid himself onto the bed besides his friends which still made a huddle. John fetched the knife out of his sleeve and hid it under his pillow because he knew one thing, "He will come back, maybe even tonight. And when he's here I will be ready."

John covered himself with the blanket and slowly fell asleep.

Sefilia sat on her bed and waited a while, until she was sure that John was sound asleep.

While she was waiting she looked at a picture off her mother and her father, which stood on her bed table, where only they were on. It was taken after the first days of their marriage. The blue vixen and the grey fox on it hugged each other and they both had warm smiles.

Sefilia also smiled a bit. "Since you've been gone my life was grey and sad... But I have to tell you, this chapter is over now! I'm happy again and I've fallen in love! He is no Cerinian, he is a stranger from another world, and he doesn't even have fur! But you always told me it doesn't depend on the look, but on the heart. And he owns this heart. He went through a hard time. He was totally alone most of his life but he didn't gave up. He takes care of others without concern for himself and that's why I look up to him. He also can be really kind and a bit funny... I also have the feeling that he likes me too. And I also think that heaven smiles upon he both off us. He is accompanied by three Bafomdads!

I am sure he is the right one. After so many letdowns I feel that he is something special. Wish us luck and send us Sabre home soon."

She concentrated herself on him and his thoughts and searched for the point, where she left John. Cerinians couldn't only read thoughts which were just thought, they also could awaken memories which were saved in the subconscious of the other. She heard how he thought and what he thought about her. Now she knew that he loved her.

She was jubilant and could barely believe it and let the memory continue. After a minute she saw what happened. He got attacked by someone, dragged into an alleyway and got beaten up. Again she heard his thoughts. He was worried about her and that filled her even more with hope and joy.

That feeling however was disturbed by the voice's sound of his attacker. She knew that voice, she now knew who he was and she also now knew that he was still tacking care off her. But she also was angry at him and also sad that he didn't allowed this to happen.

Sefilia sniveled a bit, because she now knew that John would give his life that so that she could be happy.

"Why did he keep that a secret from me? And why does 'he' suddenly start looking after me again, after he let me alone for so long?"

She cried and ignored the following memories and she didn't know a thing what John had planned. But before she could continue to think of this question, she fell asleep and a last tear ran down her cheek and drenched her soft, white pillow….

It was middle of the night when John felt that he and the Bafomdads weren't alone. He drew with the reflexes of a cat with his left hand the knife under his pillow and pulled it out of his sheath and smashed with his right hand against the light switch so that the Bafomdads awoke.

The room brightened up.

"I was waiting for you and I'm ready." John said scowled at the person. He stood in front of the wide opened balcony window and held a dagger in his hands.

The Bafomdads jumped of the bed in fear and cowered in the next best corner of the room and they were afraid of their own safety.

"I told you that I will kill you if you didn't leave her alone." He made his first try and stabbed John, but John parried the attack with the kitchen knife so that the dagger hit the bed post and got jammed.

When the attacker recognized that he wasn't able to free that dagger yielded it to the counter attack of John and drew a second dagger from his belt. This time John did it without his rake, because it would have only gotten in his way.

"This time it will have another end!" John assessed.

"Indeed human... this time you will die!" his enemy countered.

They walked in a circle, like two wolves, which where only waiting for the right moment to strike. They both dashed at each other at the same time. Their meeting was accompanied by the clashing of metal.

John knew that he tried to kill him, but he himself would have preferred to find out who he was and best thing would have been that he was alive, to ask him some questions after his defeat.

"What do you want from Sefilia?" The person asked in a short fighting break before the knives were hitting against each other again.

"I want to help her... I want to help her to find happiness in living again." John growled.

Again the blades of the knives met and now both opponents went over to a fencing duel.

The attacker stabbed at John's chest, but John parried it and blocked it to the side so that he was able to start his own attack at the unarmed arm off his enemy. John hit him, but only caused a scratch on the arm of his enemy and not too strong a wound. He again went back to a counter attack. He hauled off and ripped with his dagger a big hole in the cupboard John stood in front off before he dodged him.

"And what do you want from her?" John asked his attacker in another break.

"I protect her from guys like you." The attacker said before he again attacked John and once again a duel, they both of them got cuts on their arms until they again dispersed. In their encounter they had almost overthrown every single piece of furniture in the room.

"Guys like me? What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"You are nothing like the others, you denunciated at our last meeting. You just want to abuse her to be welcome on Cerinia."

Sefilia woke up from her rest because she had heard noises, loud noises, but she wasn't sure if she just had dreamed it or not. Suddenly she heard the shattering of glass and she knew it was no dream. She threw her dressing gown over and went out of her room to assess the source of the noise. It came out of John's room.

She ran as fast as she could because she remembered John's memories and now trembled with worry about John's she reached his room she stopped. She heard a voice talking, John's voice.

"There you're wrong! I act because of other reasons, you will never understand. I want to be with Sefilia, because... because I love her! And someone like you won't separate me off her!" John shouted.

Sefilia didn't believe what she just heard. He said the three important words she wished of him. Those words made it official. He loved her and she loved him and nothing could change that. She wanted nothing more than to just get in the room and kiss him.

"Hah... love... " Another voice said in a disdaining sound which ripped Sefilia out of her dream and she again began to tremble for John. "Sure I know what it means to love Sefilia, because... ", he didn't end his sentence; instead fight noises were again being made. She knew she had to do something. She grabbed for the door knob and pushed the door open.

"STOP IT!"

Both off the fighters stopped their action and looked at the angst-ridden vixen. She was close to tears.

"Stop it at once, both of you!" She screamed

"Sefilia?" John gasped and was surprised and distracted and that allowed the attacker to attack him again. John mentioned the attack too late. John wasn't able to stop him, only slow him down. The blade off the dagger slid about two inches into John's chest into the direction off his heart, before it stood still.

John let out a cry of pain. Sefilia burst into tears, horror covered her face as the tears trickled down her cheeks and dripped on the floor like John's blood.

John collected the last of his strength. His opponent thought he had won and that gave John the perfect advantage. With his right hand, with which he prevented the dagger to penetrate his chest any more, he pushed the dagger slowly out of his chest and rammed with his left hand his weapon fully into the upper arm of the enemy and cut a several centimeters wide and several centimeters deep wound into it. His enemy let out a cry of pain and let go of his weapon which just fell on the ground. John also pulled his weapon out of the wound of the enemy and also just let it fall on the ground.

Without hesitating any longer the attacker looked at Sefilia, saw her horror-stricken face and the tear streaming eyes. After that he fled. He ran outside on the balcony and jumped into the darkness off the night. Not a moment later, Sefilia went to John, grasped his left arm, dragged him to his bed and let him down softly on it.

"Please don't move. I'll get my bandages and the salvia and then I will take care of you." Sefilia said, tears still were flowing down her cheeks and were now dripping onto John's face.

When finally the Bafomdads noticed that the danger was gone, they jumped on John's bed aside their hurt friend and looked whimpering in fear at his wound.

"Don't worry, the wound isn't deep... " He said as he coughed a bit blood in his palm "I'll make it." He said putting on a fake smile, which only made Sefilia cry more. She was really afraid for her truelove.

She hastily left the room, without noticing that she stepped into John's blood and it now tracked on her feet throughout the whole house. She ran into her bedroom which also was her workroom, gripped her suitcase, where all bandages and resources were inside she needed in such a moment and right after she ran back to John, still in her dressing gown and still making bloody footprints on the ground.

While Sefilia had left the room he had to think. He sat himself up to make it more comfortable for him. It hurt badly but that was it worth he thought. Did she know his enemy? Probably, because she seemed to know the person under the hood. And how much did she hear until she intervened? Did she know that he loved her? In that moment so many question shot through his head that he barely noticed that Sefilia was in the room again and pushed him again onto the bed.

"I told you not to move... And now please take off your shirt."

"W-What!" John exclaimed.

"I want to check your wound and for that you have to take your shirt off." Sefilia said and blushed a bit when she said that despite the severity of the situation, because she also was curious about how John looked under his clothes.

He slowly stripped off his blood drenched shirt and exposed his still a bit tanned body and the muscles on it. He indeed trained in the past, but just because of that he wasn't a brawny battle machine.

Sefilia could clearly see muscle rudiments and further trained muscles and couldn't resist to caress them with her hands.

John noticed the excitement, with that she touched his upper body and let it be for a while, until he had to cough knee-jerk, because again blood went into his air tube. That again ripped Sefilia out of her excitement and she started to study Johns wound.

The Bafomdads carefully watched what Sefilia did, even if they didn't understand what was going on.

First she went with a scanner over Johns wound, "It isn't deep. No organs should be harmed."

She put the scanner aside and picked a wet sponge and salvia out of her bag, "This will burn a bit." she warned John. First she sponged up the blood covering the wound and then she pressed the slightly green salvia on John's wound. He gave a slightly painful bristle off himself.

For John it didn't burn a bit, it was more like she was tending him with a cigarette lighter.

"S-Sorry." She stuttered when she saw his reaction.

"Never mind! If it wouldn't hurt it wouldn't work and I would be dead already... hah! Look." John started again.

"What John?" He wanted to distract her a bit so she wouldn't worry so much about him.

"You made everything dirty." John pointed out. Sefilia now saw that she displaced the blood in the whole room and she was shocked "I won't clean that up and that's for sure." John said and he gave her a hearty smile, which she returned. "And sorry about the mirror."

"Don't worry about it...", she giggled and John again answered her with a warm smile. Sefilia then asked John to sit up a bit so that she could unwind a bandage around his chest. While he did that she didn't miss out on the moving of his abs and she did her best not to stare at them.

She wrapped a thick, wide, white bandage tight around his chest to prohibit the loss of any more blood. Then she pushed a pillow under his head and again wanted him to lie down. Again a feeling burned inside her that wanted her to show him that she loved him too.

Just in the moment when John touched the pillow with his neck, Sefilia bowed down and pushed her lips tenderly on his. They kissed.

John couldn't and didn't want to break this moment and let it just happen. He felt like he was on cloud nine on the way into heaven, kissed by a blue foxy-angle. Feelings flooded through him, feelings of love and felicity. He now knew that she was the right one. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and no one would separate them from each other.

Tears of joy went into his eyes, just like Sefilia, because she felt the same like John and she read his mind what made her even happier. After a while they removed their lips from each other. The kiss appeared both like an eternity, an eternity in the paradise of love.

She slowly reached for the blanket and pulled it up to his shoulders and whispered quietly in his ear.

"I love you too John." She kissed him once more on his cheek and while she went out of the room in full happiness, she noticed a small gadget John apparently lost in the fight. She didn't want to bother him now with her questions and just pouched the thing and silently closed the door.

John noticed when Sefilia left the door that they were all the time watched by the Bafomdads, but he didn't care, because he was happy. He spent the last minutes of his wake being with his friends in silence. He just smiled and just hopped that he wasn't just dreaming.

Sefilia walked in the Bathroom to clean her feet, because John was right, the blood stuck to her feet and had the same effect like a stamp. She left on her whole walk red footprints behind.

"That John..." She thought while she was drying her feet. "He always has to act like everything would be all right." She giggled a bit. "At least I told him what I feel." And she smiled again. She finished drying her feet and then she went herself into her room and fell asleep soft and happy.

~X~X~X~X~

**_First, for all the ones who still like it, thank you._**

**_The second part is not that good. I'll need some time to translate the next chapter. School just tries to kill me with work for important tests... again -.-_**

**_Third, bit better now ^^ xXSanitariumXx reminded me of a planned story for you._**

**_Yeah, you heard right 'Star Fox meets VGCats' will come next! It won't be that long, only about 1 or 2 chaps, but I try my best (Warning it will contain humor, violence, stupidness, pervy stuff, cats, and some kind of randomness (also rbs: random-bull-shit... at least I try so ^^). For all the ones who don't know VGC, I'll post some links on my profile as soon as it is out. I guess you will need some input, to understand the characters and their characteristics. It's just a bit sad, that 'A War and a Decision' will fall back a bit, because I would have to write on 4 stories at the same time..._**

**_Fourth and the more traditional part. Translated with the help of Zane Cross, so if you find any mistakes, blame him (^^ joke)._**

**_Second translation by _XxSanitariumxX_. By the way, he will continue with the Beta reading._**


	12. A Critical Secret or New Findings

**Chapter 12**

**A Critical Secret or New Findings**

It was late afternoon when John awoke, and first he had to stretch a bit. "Ouch!" He gasped, having almost forgotten the wound, which had been given to him by the attacker the evening before. "Hmm... A new day, a new scar."

Sefilia had vetted him well. The wounded had still bled a bit over the night and the blanket had, where it had covered John's wound, a big, blood red spot, but he was okay.  
His friends were awake as well and greeted him with a cuddle attack which made John laugh.

Sefilia was still sleeping when she heard the noise, which came out of John's room. Her ears twitched curiously. "He has got some nerve! Yesterday he almost bled to death and today he is rampaging again." She thought had to giggle a bit. "I should look at his wound now that he is awake."

When she stood up she saw the blood she scattered across the floor. "I should clean up after as well." Sefilia sighed and put on her dressing gown, grabbed her case and went to John's rooms.

John became agitated "It's getting a bit cold. I shouldn't have let the window open all night long… what guys?"

The Bafomdads just twisted their heads and then started cheeping again. As Sefilia anticipated, she found the room like the way she left it. It was untidy and messy, only John wasn't were he should have been. Sefilia found him just as he closed the window to the balcony.

"I told you that you should stay in bed!"

John flinched, "I didn't want to bother you and again; I feel much better now."

"I can see that, and I heard it as well. But still, please sit down. I want to check your wound again and see if everything has healed well."

He sat down, as he was ordered, onto the next best seating, in this case it was the bed and he took his shirt off again. John looked a bit around and examined the chaos which had occurred in the fight the night before.

"What will you do about the broken things? The people are sure to be interested how you got such a hole in the wardrobe."

"I will come up with something." Sefilia said and smirked keenly. Sefilia carefully unwrapped the bandage off him and whisked away the blood with a small sponge. "Looks good so far." She said before she packed the bandage away and stuck an oversized patch on the wound, which she greased with a clear cream before. The cream felt very cool and enjoyable on John's skin.

Sefilia just cleaned her suitcase when John probably asked her the most important question in her life. He took a deep breath.

"Did you mean that yesterday... that you love me? Or did you just want to cheer me up?" Sefilia dropped the tube and blushed, her ears laid flat on her head and her tail started to whip around in a sea-saw motion.

"W-Were you were serious too?" Sefilia asked.

"So, you heard me huh?"

"I'm sorry I should have..." Sefilia said but before she was able to end her sentence, John pressed his lips on hers and both of them closed their eyes in joy. He softly stroked her long hair. She read his mind and knew that he forgave her. After awhile they slowly parted their lips. Sefilia again blushed, but this time she blushed more than anytime before she met John.

"It's all right to me and you shouldn't be ashamed."

Sefilia became overwhelmed by her feelings. The way was almost free for their love; but there was only one thing in their way. "And what will you do, if the others know something about it."

"I will just react and if they have anything against this, I'll give them a piece off my mind!"

Sefilia hesitated a bit and thought. "We better keep it a secret for a while, okay?" he nodded coherent and smirked. "Good.".  
He put his shirt on again and kissed her shortly on her blushing, furry cheek.

He grabbed his rake and went to the door. "And, hun?" It sounded a bit funny when he called her that and it was almost a bit embarrassing to her.

"Yeah?" she answered automatically. It was very new to her that someone called her 'hun' and she again blushed on her answer.

"You look beautiful when you are worried... As always." Jon smirked at her warmly and she had to giggle a bit because of the happiness and because it sounded funny to her what John said. "Did I say something wrong? Am I too corny for you?"

Sefilia now laughed and pressed some words out of her mouth during her hearty laughter. "Yes, you are!"

"Alright then, I'll try to tone myself down. Are you coming? After all that trouble from yesterday I'm hungry."

"I'm on my way!" She turned to the Bafomdads, which had been sitting beside them in puzzlement. "Are you hungry?" She asked as she stood up and went to the door. They only had to think for a short moment what she just said and jumped excitedly after her.

John waited in front of the door for Sefilia and closed it after her and the Bafomdads.  
"You know, it's quite funny." Sefilia said.

"Huh?"

"Well you see, we know each other just for some days and yesterday we told each other that we love each other."

John questioned a bit. "Well I have no experience in such things... I just know that since yesterday when you said 'it', I can only think of you."

"It's the same thing for me. I'm just soooo deliriously happy."

"Yeah." Was all John could say. But he couldn't only think of the here and now, he had to think about their future together. He didn't know how the people would react when they come to know that they loved each other. Would they just let it be, or would they despise Sefilia and repudiate her and him? He wasn't sure about that, but he didn't want Sefilia to lose her home like he had. He didn't want that all these things to happen to Sefilia that happened to him. Sefilia heard his thoughts and tried to get his mind on other things. They didn't have to be very happy thoughts, but the main thing was that he stopped worrying.

"So, you once wanted to tell me what TV is." She said as they walked down the stairs and reached at the kitchen.

"Uhmmm... TV is some kind of information source. You look into a box-shaped machine which picks up pictures and tones. There are different kinds of broadcast stations, which send on different radio frequencies or other stuff, which beforehand are recorded by another machine, a camera. Like for example, important things about our economy or documentations."

Sefilia gave an interesting and clear, "Aha." of her understanding when John finished the beginning of the explanation.

"But there are not only broadcast stations with useful information. There are some which only bring movies, with a special theme, all day long."

"What for themes for example?" Sefilia threw into John's train of thoughts.

"Well, for example, action movies."

"Action movies?" Sefilia asked.

"In such kinds of films it is always about they blow as much as possible up and that a handful of people defeat an army which is several hundred times bigger than their own."

"That sounds really unrealistic." Sefilia made a very skeptical face expression.

"It is. Most of the time they are for people who need something spectacular to come through their boring everyday life... Then there are adventure movies, which are most of the time about people who must survive in dicey situations. Or romances... " John said and now he looked into Sefilia's blue eyes and put on a slight smile. She had to giggle herself, because she knew what he meant, " ...and these people are often in a situation like us at the moment... " John said as a pause stepped in between their conversation.

"I'm just so happy that we both confessed it to each other..." John said once the pause was over.

"Me too." Sefilia replied.

"And now, when I see you, your eyes and your gorgeous body, I just want to kiss you." Because of this more declaration of love Sefilia blushed a bit. The Bafomdads were still watching them, but she gave him, with an attractive and very charming voice, a clear answer.

"Then try your best." She said and waved with her index finger to him to come closer and shortly after that, both enlaced each other, which caused John's rake to fall on the ground, but they kissed each other dearly and so they didn't care. They didn't care about the noise made by the impact of the rake, because their feelings blocked everything out. So happy their pain would exist no more and was washed away.

Since John's leg was still hurt, he lost a bit of his balance and diverted let some of his weight fall onto Sefilia to bear. She bearded herself with a little effort on the counter of the kitchen without destroying the mood. For John it was a strange feeling, when he felt her slightly wet nose on his face and he softly held her cheek with one hand and with the other he caressed her long, slightly invested ears. But his heart easily looked over these differences and he only saw the charming person Sefilia was.

Suddenly both did something they actually didn't plan on doing. Their hands wandered from their current positions away and slowly started to palm each other's body. Sefilia went over John's thorax and felt and touched every single muscle, her fur ruffled because of her excitement. John went down to her hips, touched her miraculous shaping and shortly after that he went down to her thigh.

While the both of them where doing that the Bafomdads went into business for themselves and searched into the kitchen for something to eat, because they didn't have a clue as to what John and Sefilia were doing and were very bored.

The two were so enraptured by their feelings that they barely noticed what they were doing, because just when John wanted to bring their kissing on a new level they both dispersed. They both were ashamed, "I'm sorry, I lost control." John apologized.

"It's not only your fault. I could have ended it too, but I couldn't..." A longer break in their talk stepped in.

But the pause was interrupted by the loud rummaging of the Bafomdads in the shelves and the sound of a broken bowl. The Bafomdads themselves stopped in fear and were a bit ashamed of that they weren't able to wait for their food until their friends ended their seemingly more important activities.

"It doesn't matter." Sefilia consoled them and patted the three-pack, when they crouched. "It was just a bowl." While she calmed them down she continued the sentence she ended before the break, "We should probably leave it to kissing, hugging, light petting and touching. Our beautiful relationship shouldn't be rushed into, possibly jeopardizing it."

John nodded in agreement "Yeah, you're right. There's no reason to start things off too quickly. And besides, before we get any other ideas, we should eat something, or else our friends will demolish the whole kitchen."

Sefilia giggled a bit about the absurd thought that something so peaceful would demolish anything with pure violence. She swept up the shards and asked John to throw them away. She pointed at the fitting trash bin and John did as he was asked.

While Sefilia was preparing the meal John thought out loud. "A bummer that not everyone is as tolerant as Beseril."

Sefilia smiled a bit about the thought that everyone would be like Beseril. "Yeah, but you know that Beseril is... different."

"That would be the only catch in it."

Shortly after that, she was finished and gave John his dish; she herself carried hers and the one for the three 'destroyers'.

"Today I'll cook meat for lunch, vitamins are indeed important, but without proteins you'll soon have a lack of strength and stamina." Sefilia explained to him, when he looked at the vegetables in front of him with fickleness. "Variety doesn't hurt."

This time they again went into the dining room, put the dish for the Bafomdads on the ground and started to eat. While they ate, Sefilia remembered the gadget, which she found in John's room. "I'm going to my room real quick; there is something I have that I want to ask you about."

"Sure, I'm open for any questions." John replied as she left the dining room and again went up into her own. John started to think about what Sefilia wanted to ask him about the thing she had. His question wasn't left without an answer for long however.

"I found that yesterday in your room after the fight." Sefilia said as she handed him the gadget.

"It was just lying on the ground?" John asked to which Sefilia nodded. "Hah. It would be a shame if it broke during the fight."

"What is it?"

"Oh, I forgot that you don't know that... On this gadget you can save music and play it whenever you want."

Sefilia became deeply curious "Can I listen to some off your music later?"

"Sure, I just don't know if it is your taste. It is very... rebellious."

"Rebellious? Against whom did they rebel?" she asked curiously.

"Against everything they didn't like... our government, the way of people treating each other, just against everything that is wrong these days. But I also got some pieces of music which are gentler."

"Then I would like to listen to them." she smiled a bit of anticipation. "And also I have a translator in my working room; I'm sure I can attach them. It's got an adapter to every connection."

John cocked an eyebrow. "It should be no problem then."

Sefilia had finished eating before him and left, before he had finished, into her bathroom and her own room to fresh up and to jump from her morning gown into something more fitting.

When John had finally finished, they went back to the kitchen and put the dishes into the washer. Sefilia could barely await it, she looked forward for how rebellious music sounding like because something like that didn't exist on Cerinia. They both walked up the stairs again onto the first floor where Sefilia led him to her own room.

"I thought we were going into your working room?" John said as they stepped in.

"It is only I have my bed in here because I sometimes have to work till night. But right now it has no use because on the one side I have to take care of you..." Sefilia said, especially accenting the 'you' by tapping her index finger on John's chest "... but on the other side I have to do an experiment with bacilli and I can tell you, they are pretty slow. I have to look every two to three days after them and check the data."

John looked around in her room. As she said, there stood on one side a canopy bed, a wardrobe and a mirror, which was large enough that John was able to completely see himself in it without bowing down or doing something else. But on the other side was a desk with a chair, where she had thrown her lab coat over, a shelf full of medical books, some kind of a computer, and several other medical gadgets. The Bafomdads, who followed them all the time, immediately launched at the canopy bed and jumped happily on it.

John wanted to reprimand them but Sefilia stopped him. "Just let them be, the bed was already untidy before." She said as she went to the side with the medical gadgets.

"Give me your music gadget please." She said and reached out with her hand. John laid his mp3 player gently onto it. She kneed down in front of the computer and fetched a black, long cable from its underside, with that she searched for the data input at the music player. Just when John wanted to show her, where it was, she found it and at the underside and affixed the cable to it. John saw how the cable changed, adjusted itself and enlaced around the adapter. Several seconds later a display appeared on the screen o the computer, just like on his player, only this one was much bigger. She didn't sit down, but bent over a bit and did everything while standing.

"That's funny." Sefilia mumbled, she also moved the arrow with a holo-display and some twitches of her fingers over the music and clicked on some of the tracks.

"What's funny?" John asked curiously.

"The translator says that everything is written and spoken in Lylatian dialects."

"Lylatian? What kind of language is that?"

"That's the language of the system where my father was coming from. The language of the Lylat System." Sefilia explained as she pressed several buttons and played a random song.

It started with an acoustic guitar solo and shortly after that also a bass and the drums started playing and the text started as well, " Born into Nixon I was raised in Hell, A welfare child where the teamsters dwelled..." The music directly came out of the screen and shortly after was halted by Sefilia.

"Unbelievable... I can understand this!" The vixen said looking very astounded and excited onto the screen. "Green Day?" She read out loud questioningly.

"Yes, that's the name of the band, the group, which played the music. " The human explained but then an important question shot through his head. "Wait a second... you... you can understand that? Where did you learn that?"

She averted her eyes off the screen and turned around to John. "I told you that my father came from another system. " John remembered himself and nodded understanding. "And that's the Lylat System. He thought it would be good, if he taught some of us the main language and writing so that we could talk to them, if we get another visit of them. But later these gadgets were developed and then the learning of the language was unnecessary. Back then there were only a few people who learned that language. The princess and I for example..."

"But wasn't the princess even younger than today?"

"That's right, but she is very smart and even after the developing of that gadget she wanted to continue to learn the language."

'Is that where she gets the accent...?' he thought, unnoticed by Sefilia.

These facts made John speculate. It was a vastly outnumbered possibility that someone in his universe spoke the same language as him and their races never have contact before. Sefilia noticed John's stern facial expressions.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"It's nothing..."

"Either tell me yourself or I'll find out for myself." She said seriously with her menace.

"Okay. I told you that I came through some kind of portal..." John recanted and she nodded in confirmation. "... well at my place where some theories of such a trip. On the one hand, you simply travel from point A to point B, without some kind of change. Then there is a theory of travelling in time, which I think in my case is very improbable because our solar system has more planets than yours and no language would survive that long that it wouldn't change over time." Sefilia just understood a part what John was saying, but she tried to keep up. "And then there is the theory of realities ..."

"Realities? How do you mean that, there is only the here and now, isn't it ...?"

"Maybe, but theoretically after every decision you do, reality splits into the possibility you choose and you didn't choose, and that continues forever so that there are unlimited alternate realities."

"And what do you think now ... ?" Sefilia asked and was a bit confused by his ramblings.

"That I'm no longer in my universe. I in fact, don't care at all about that, but…"

"But?"

"It's just interesting to know that something like that exists." John answered and he smiled a bit not to worry Sefilia.

"So. Now that I understand your language, I would like to hear some of your music... Could you suggest something to me?" Sefilia said, blowing the past topic out of the water.

John indeed, was a bit confused by the fast change of the issue, but still he gave an answer. "Let's see ... This one is good." John pointed at one of the songs and Sefilia pushed play.

First there was only a piano hearable, "Eh Gloria, are you standing close to the edge?...", first it sounded to her that some had written a song for the love of his life, even after the piano felt silent and the drums, a guitar and a bass had taken its place and the music clearly got louder and stronger. The singer described her strength and missed her, because she was gone.

"I hope you understood what I wanted to tell you with that." John said suddenly. She didn't know what he meant by that, but thought about it. She should stay strong and never give up, because everything will be fine, they would make it, together. "And if I had written a song for you, I would have been this one."

John let Sefilia give him the mouse and he chose a song and played it.

A male voice started to sing, with an acoustic guitar as background, "Everything's so blurry And everyone's so fake And everybody's so empty And everything is so messed up Pre-occupied without you I can not live at all..." she smiled and was happy. The song was about craving, hurt of lovers, and loyalty. He would always be there for her, when she needed him.

"Thanks John." Sefilia said and kissed him on his cheek which he answered with a hearty smile.

John also showed her some of his favorite songs, which were the most rebellious of the variety, to clarify to Sefilia, how much he and several others detested their government.

"You know, I just thought of something." Sefilia said after a while. "I can speak your language, but you can't speak mine..."

"What are you getting at?" John sensed what she wanted, but he didn't dare to ask.

"What about that I teach you our tongue? You said yourself that you want to acclimate to our culture and what would be better?"

"That will be hard work, but that thing at my temple really starts to annoy me. I don't know..." John sighed.

Sefilia folded her hands in a begging fashion and looked at John with big eyes into his. "Please, it would mean a lot to me." He just couldn't resist her wonderful, sky-blue eyes and he caved in.

"All right, I'll do it."

"Great! We can start tomorrow morning then." She said happily.

"I can't promise that it will be easy," he warned her, "...but I'll try my best."

They left Sefilia's room as soon as their discussion was over. "You said a while ago, you would write me a song? What kind of instrument do you play?" Sefilia asked him after a while.

"What kind of instrument?" John echoed.

"Yes." Sefilia confirmed

"It's called a guitar."

Sefilia shook her head. "I'm sorry; I never heard a name like that before."

"Well, if you could bring me a pencil and a piece of paper, then I should be able to draw one that looks somehow like a real guitar." John suggested.

"Then we should go back into my room, because I've got enough pencils and paper in there."

John searched through his pockets. "Good, because I again forgot my MP3-Player."

The vixen just had to smile about that and shook her head slightly. It was amazing he didn't forget the shirt off his back. Shortly after that they were once again in her room. She gave John a pencil and a slip of paper and let him draw at her working place. John wasn't a good artist but he still managed to draw a guitar.

First he drew the body of a classic guitar, which looked like an eight and made a hole in the middle, then he drew a long neck, which was about the length of the body, and then he drew the chords on it. Once he was done, he showed the drawing to Sefilia.

She looked at the drawing very closely. "Hmmm..."

"It doesn't matter if you don't know it is." John put in.

"No, it isn't that... I've got something similar in my house."

"Really! Can I have a look at it?" John asked becoming very interested.

"Sure... I've got to admit, I don't know what to do with it." She said a bit abashed. "It's downstairs in the living room." Sefilia said and led him downstairs. She opened a shelf in the living room, drew a case out of it and out of the case something else. It was an instrument, but not one that John could fully recognize.

Indeed, it looked very similar to a guitar; it had chords, a neck and a body, but John noticed something was missing. When he took the instrument into his hands and tried to play on it, it was a very unlovely tone. Many of the chords were slightly hanging down and probably hadn't got tuned in years.

"I see." John said and began to tune the guitar.

"Do you really know what you are doing?" Sefilia asked to get assurance.

"Don't worry; I've tuned guitars before, numerous times." John reassured, satisfying her concern. "It's exactly that what I am doing right now."

Shortly after that he had finished tuning the guitar and tested it to be sure. Once satisfied, John began playing; making one or two mistakes, but the intro of 'Minority' was still noticeable.

"You are pretty good. Wasn't that one of the songs, you showed me back then?" Sefilia said warmly, locking her eyes into Johns.

"Yeah it was... and thanks, I practiced a lot the last few years." John said becoming captive of her beautiful radiance.

~X~X~X~X~

Elsewhere, in the fortress of the Sharpclaw.

~X~X~X~X~

General Scales, the biggest and strongest Sharpclaw, was on the way from his throne room to his dark sanctum. He was in a bad mood. Normally he was always in a bad mood, but today it was notably worse. He wore brown samurai armor, a fitting helm with two wing-like attachments, and a sheath-less broadsword with a barbed hook. His stomping echoed through the almost empty halls of his fortress. As soon as he reached his destination, one of his guards stood at attention in the presence of his master. Some of them did that to show their respect to their master and ruler, but for the most part they were afraid of him because of the agony he brought unto their former leader. Scales stopped in front of the room with a pitch black door, which was guarded by two elite warriors, which despite their small advantage of height, they were as much afraid of him as the others.

The door of the inner room was also as dark as night and only enlightened by torches which hung at the walls. In the middle of the room was a small altar, where he stopped, knelt down, and looked to the ground.

"Scales. What do you want? Did you succeed in the task I gave you?" A strong and dictatorial voice was sounding through the room.

"I'm sorry master. My soldiers had her in safekeeping, but then she rescued..." he said with a dark voice.

"By the Cerinians I assume."

"No, master. It was a young warrior; his skin was neither covered by fur, feathers nor scales, he only had a bit fur on his head. According to the survivors, he came out of nowhere and was supported by a CloudRunner who set the camp on fire. And he fought with a Cerinian weapon." Scales explained.

"What is the location of this warrior now?"

"We think he is in the capital of the Cerinians. It seems he allied with them."

"Your problem with the Cerinians will be done soon. I sent some of my people to you. They will bring you new weapons for your army. I want to know everything about this… warrior. Continue the torturing until _he_ gives us everything we want. After that, you may do with him as you please."

"As you wish master." Scales said with a slowly growing grin as the voice then became silent. Scales stood up and left the room. He went down to the dungeons of the fortress and stepped into the cell of his prisoner whom he would question in person.

It was a dark cell in a tunnel where you could only hear a quiet dripping leak, and irregular breaths from the creature within the cell.

"What do you want Scales?" A weak voice asked from the darkness of the cell. "I won't tell you a thing."

"Hah. Time will show old man. Guards!" Scales shouted impatiently. "Prepare the torture chamber for our prisoner."

Scales left the cell again, with a wide grin on his face. Two guards, shortly after his leaving, came into the cell. They released his chains from the wall and dragged him to the torturing room. The way to the room was as badly lit as the rest of the fortress, but still the guards were able to identify who their victim was. They often dragged him out his cell into the torture chamber. He was an old grey fox. He had the same figure like the Cerinians despite his cachexia. He wore small, broken glasses on his typical fox-like snout, his clothes, which were once white were now grey and covered in his already dried red blood. His body was covered in scars and wounds, which he got during the torturing. He lost his shoes a long time ago so that he thought he never owned any.

He wanted to make it as difficult as possible to his captors and let them drag him across the ground instead of walking with them. He was too weak to try an escape and there were too many Sharpclaw around anyway.

They finally arrived at the room. The door was similar to the other cold wooden doors in the area, but still they knew exactly where they were. They opened the door and dragged the truculent body in, chained him with iron shackles to dried blood covered wooden desk. Scales already waited for them and prepared something for his 'guest'.

After they were done, they left again, because their leader wanted to be alone with his victim. "How often do you want to torture me, until you finally give up Scales?" the fox asked, while he stared sunken in his thought to the roof. He thought of his home, his daughter, his son, 'He will take care of her and watch her.' he thought.

"Until you tell me the secrets off your technology." Scales now starred with his cold and heartless eyes into the fox's.

"Never!", the weak man answered, whereon Scales just laughed joyful, "Then your torment will never end... Mister Wolferos."

~X~X~X~X~

Meanwhile

~X~X~X~X~

"We are not allowed to forget what the queen told us to do." Sefilia said while she watched how fascinated John looked at the instrument in his hands.

"The documentation of my world, right?" John asked as a precaution. "Correct. But today I have to check for some of my experiments, you can come with me if you want, but I'm sure it will be very boring for you. Or... hey! You can also visit Beseril if you want. He'll sure be happy about your visit."

"To be honest, I was wondering what he and Adaril did the last time." John said, interested in seeing the two again.

"Well whatever you decide I best be going, it's almost time."

"Wait, I'll accompany you." He said when she was about to leave the room and put the instrument aside.

It was a strange feeling when you were not able to show your true feelings to each other in public. Sefilia and John stayed at a distance while walking aside each other and avoided talking to each other and even to touch each other. But that still made people even more suspicious, two people who were talking happily and carelessly the day before and out of the sudden stopped talking to each other.

Finally they arrived at the hospital.

"It will take a while. I'll come for you later at Beseril's place." She said for a goodbye.

"Yeah, I'll see you then..." His lips neared her cheek, but luckily he noticed it early enough and stopped. "That was a close one..." he whispered to her and she also answered him whispering,

"We have to watch out what we do in public, or else we'll blow our secret."

Without another word, just quick goodbye glances, Sefilia went into the hospital and John to Beseril's place. He just saw, how she went to the receptionist and greeted the working nurse and disappeared after that behind the next corner.

The doorbell rang and John entered the shop. As the day before Beseril's perfume stench hung in the air and again the whole shop was empty.

Several seconds later, Beseril came out of the back room. "Ah, hello John." Beresil said as he looked around, as he was missing something, "Where did you leave your Sefilia? Did you two fight?" he asked very curiously and John saw that he could barely wait for the answer, because his tail was wagging.

"No, no, don't worry. Sefilia is at the hospital. She is following her work and shouldn't be disturbed. And I just thought that I should meet some of my friends." John answered casually. "And how is your shop doing?" Meanwhile the wagging of the tail stopped again.

"Unfortunately as always...", he shook his head sadly, "...but still I got a temp, he should be here soon." Beresil said looking at a gadget on his wrist. "It is about time..."

'A watch?' John wondered to himself as he quickly spied the little gadget.

Shortly after that the bell of the shop rang again, the temp arrived. "Hello mister Beseril...", a childish voice said. John turned around to the new visitor "I'm sorry about... John!"

John smiled. "Hi Adaril, what are you doing here?"

"I'm helping mister Beseril with his shop."

"Right, Adaril is allowed to help me with the storing of my stash ... wait, you know each other?" Beresil asked making his way into the conversation. Adaril and John nodded,

"Yeah, funnily enough our first met was in front of your store." John added.

"Is that so?"

"You wanted to tell me, how you rescued the princess."

"Right, I remember that ..." John said while Beseril was cleaning his throat. "But you should do your work first, or else Beseril will be angry with you, okay?" Adaril's eyes were sparkling with curiosity and his tail was waggling like crazy.

"All right!" he said and already went into the direction of the back room.

"I'll be right back kid." Beseril said, while he followed the turbulent boy.

As long as Beseril was gone John sat down on a chair which stood at a wall and waited for his return. Several minutes later Beseril was prancing out of the back room with a plate, with two cups and a can on it and put everything on the counter.

"Sefilia told me that you like tea, do you want one too?" He asked while he was already filling one for himself.

"Yes, thanks." John shortly stood up and received the cup Beseril had just filled and sat down again.

Beseril also took a chair and brought it over to John so that he sat opposite to him. Beseril took his cup, sat down, leaned back and crossed his left leg over his right one. John couldn't help but notice his outmost serenity.

"Where is Adaril?" John asked.

"He is back there in the storage and is sorting my clothes and everything else to its right place."

"But aren't you worried that he'll disarrange everything?"

"He is a smart boy and he is on the ball, I trust him." They both drank a bit of their tea leading to a short pause. Beseril broke the silence again. "How are things going between you two?" he asked as he wasn't all that interested.

"To be honest, it just started." John admitted.

Beseril changed from his relaxed seating to a straight and a bit more fierce one. "Sefilia told me yesterday that the two of you were a couple."

"Yeah, in principle that's true-" John began but was interrupted by the shop bell. A very arrogant appearing vixen, with many necklaces, rings and long golden ornate hair came in.

"Good day, has my dress been finished?" She asked without really looking to the counter.

Beseril at first didn't react until John, with a nod to the vixen awoke him from his trance.

"Ye-Yes, it has been finished." He said and he disappeared in the back room.

As the woman saw John she was momentarily frightened of him but then she studied him, with wide opened eyes. It was uncomfortable and to break the ice he greeted her friendly and made a small motion with his hand.

"Good afternoon." Beseril said coming back with a red dress in his hands wrapped in some kind of plastic.

"Goo-Good afternoon." The vixen said as she took the dress from Beseril and went as fast she could out of the store.

When the door was closed and the woman was out of sight Beseril started to laugh. "That face was priceless! Did you see, how she looked at you, as you were some kind of monster!"

John had to laugh too. "And when she heard me talking ...!" He added causing an uproar betwixt the two of them. When they both calmed down again they sat down again and continued what their conversation from before.

"So, where did we stop?" John thought out loud. "Oh yeah. In principle it wasn't correct that we were a couple yesterday because we didn't know that we loved each other. But since last night, that changed." He finished explaining.

"And how did you tell each other, you little turtledoves?"

"Well..." John started and leaned towards Beseril, who did likewise. "You are not allowed to tell anyone else about what I'm about to tell you."

"I'll be like a silent grave." Beseril said he motioned like he would take a key and close and lock his mouth.

"So, yesterday I was attacked by a hooded person twice, and he warned me that I should let Sefilia be." Beseril put his cup down and covered his mouth with his hands. "And the second time he really tried to kill me with a dagger! Luckily I prepared myself."

Beseril was almost lost of words, but pressed his eyebrows with his fingers. "That's really horrible... you poor things. But what has that to do with you two admitting your feelings for each other?"

John scratched the back of his head from embarrassment. "Well during the fight I accidently said it when he asked why I am with Sefilia."

"Oh, and what did he say after that?" Beseril asked who was excited again.

"He just laughed, said that he loved her too and then he attacked again and several seconds later Sefilia busted in."

"And then?"

"We hurt each other a final time and then he fled. Sefilia had been standing at the door during the fight and heard everything-" John said and once again was interrupted by Beseril.

"Did you get hurt? It doesn't look like it so she must have done a really good job on you. I guess it was some crazed ex of hers... sorry did I interrupt you? Sorry, go on." Beseril added quickly.

"Well shortly after that we... we have..." John wasn't able to finish his sentence and blushed.

Beseril made a slightly shocked face, "Aren't you two a bit young for that?" Beseril exclaimed, confusing John.

"What? We just kissed each other, it was the first time."

At the end of this sentence Beseril gripped his heart in relive. "Thank God, I almost thought you..."

Now John realized what Beseril meant. "What! No ... Do I really look like I'd move things so fast? It is really too early for that, at the earliest after the wedding." He answered hysterically.

"Wedding?" Beseril smiled slyly.

"Argh! You know what I mean." John again blushed.

John heard from the back room something falling to the ground and turned his head around. Adaril had dropped a cardboard box. John dug his hands in his face and cursed silently.

"Did you eavesdrop again Adaril?"

Beseril looked at both of them puzzled. "Again?"

"It's a long story." John answered slightly pissed because of the newest turn of events.

"I knew it!" Adaril said triumphantly. John stood up, went to him and kneed down so that they were on eye height and set with his free hand on his shoulder.

"Adaril, this is very important. You are not allowed to tell anyone about this, not even your mother, else Sefilia and I will get a lot of trouble and you don't want that, do you?" John said in an earnest tone.

"Why will you both get in trouble?" Adaril asked with a slightly sad voice.

"Because the people don't trust me yet, they might think that I want to abuse Sefilia for something. Do you understand?"

Adaril nodded hesitantly. "I guess I do. I won't say a thing, I promise!" John let go of his shoulder and smiled.

"Good then ... don't you have to tidy up the storage?" John asked.

"Um, yes, but I'm almost done already."

"Well, go on then!" John smiled.

Adaril laughed a bit and ran back to the storage.

John wiped of the sweat off of his forehead. "Phew that was a close one." He said with a slightly relieved voice.

"You can say that again."

Several minutes later Adaril came back out of the storage and there was nothing left for him to do, so John than told him every detail of the fight against the Sharpclaw. Here and then he got commented by an 'Uh!' and 'Wow!' of his listeners. Beseril listened too, even if he wasn't that interested in fights and death as much as Adaril.

~X~X~X~X~

Meanwhile in the hospital.

~X~X~X~X~

Sefilia stood in her lab coat at a white desk and looked, with the help of a microscope, at a colony of bacilli she already told John about. She noted some findings when the door opened behind her and swished back again.

He had wide bandages wrapped over his upper right arm and a bit blood pushed out of the white cloth. He also wore a Cerinian armor of a soldier. Sefilia knew who he was, because she read his mind and said with a cold voice. "Get out!"

But he still stayed in the room and starred at her.

A moment passed, but the visitor was still there. She turned around and starred angrily into his eyes. "I told you to get out!"

"Please just listen to me for a second. I just wanted to-"

"I know exactly what you wanted! You tried to kill him! He is different from the others, he doesn't want to abuse me and I feel that I'll be happy with him." She interrupted his excuse. "And where have you been, when I needed you most? When father was captured you just ran away and didn't show your face!" Sefilia screamed, close to tears. "And now, when I'm finally happy again you want to destroy everything. I love him and YOU won't change it!"

"Don't you see how he is? What he is? He doesn't even look like us; he has no fur, no tail!"

"But in contrast to you he has a heart!" Sefilia growled as tears coursed down her cheeks.

He tried to comfort her, but when he closed up she pushed him away and just cried stronger. Between all that sobbing and tears she pushed one last sentence out of her mouth.

"Get out Sabre! I don't want to see you again until you accept him."

With hanging and slightly sad ears, the grey fox went out of the room without saying another word and closed the door.

**_So, new chapter done folks, I hope you liked it ;D_**

**_Translated with the help of XxSanitariumxX_**

**_I also got some new pictures on my profile page._**

**_~SabreWolferos_**


	13. First Mission

**Chapter 13**

**First Mission**

Several days later on Venom. Lylat System.

Venom was a solitude, which wasn't sought by any life-beings voluntarily. Once, an ancient race ruled over the planet which left old and gigantic temple ruins behind. Scientists thought they were destroyed by a massive natural catastrophe, which also would explain the desert like circumstance of the planet.

But still, several years ago a scientist was banished to this planet because of his cruel and dangerous experiments he didn't want to give up. Since he was there, the general living condition got even worse on Venom. He continued with his experiments that led to the cause that the atmosphere becoming highly poisoned and led to the point that you could only live there if you were in base with life supporting systems or in some kind of machines that covered your whole body.

It was night and some Venomian guards worked on a circuit, while they protected hangar 3-B, with their, thitherto, most effective weapon prototype, the Invader Mark III short range fighter

But what the guards didn't know was that day that they had been infiltrated.

A small transporter landed in one of the protected hangars and a stowaway waited to kick off. While the crew unloaded their load, she waited for a chance to surprise a guard.

Finally there was the chance and she jumped out of one of the airways on the guard and made him unconscious with her pure impact. She griped the guard and dragged him to a chute in the now almost empty cargo hold. She had to hurry.

She removed the uniform of the unconscious, or even maybe dead guard, got his helmet, which almost covered her whole head and made only a bit space at her mouth region and took his blaster so that he only wore his underclothing. She forced him into the dirty chute and put the uniform on herself.

She looked at herself for a moment. The uniform was a bit big for her. But the more important thing was, she had to hide her tail. All guards had brown, black or green tails, because the most parts of them were primates or lizards. Her tail would really catch someone's eye, because pink is a very untypical color for a monkey or a lizard.

She had to hurry, because she already heard the guards again, but then she remembered the chute. She opened it up again, ignored the possible corpse in there, took a handful of grime out of it and rubbed it carefully on her tail until it was pitch black. Shortly after that, the crew arrived and she had to help them with the cargo. A cartload for hangar 3-B. She had to dissimulate her voice, but because the personal wasn't that observant, she wasn't noticed at all.

Arriving at hangar 3-B they loaded the container and boxes in front of the entrance in a corner and left again. What they didn't notice was that one of them was missing. So she waited in the shadow of several crates in an entrance hall and watched the guards during the guarding duties.

They weren't very disciplined, like the most part of them. What made their strength were their vast number and their higher developed weapon technology. A side entrance was guarded by two monkey soldiers; in the standardized cheap variant of the Venomian soldier uniform and she listened to their talk.

"Hey, did you already hear, the emperor is preparing a war which he wants to lead against Corneria."

"And what about the Starfox Team?" the second one asked with a very tired voice, "He wants to take care of that problem soon. Rumors say he already has the right man for the job."

It was silent for a while, only the second guard yawned off and on extensive.

The first one piped up again. "Hold the fort for a moment on your own, will ya? I have to relieve myself."

"Sure thing..."

Shortly after, the first soldier disappeared behind the next corner and his steps weren't audible anymore, the second guard fell asleep and slumped down to the ground.

Now she found a chance.

She crept out of the shadow and fluttered with her hand in front of the eyes of the soldier and made sure he was sleeping. He held his blaster still in his hands, but she was sure that he was asleep. She searched in his trouser pockets for a security card for the hangar door and finally found it. She opened the door with the card at the scanner and crammed it gently back into the pocket of the soldier and went into the hangar.

The entrance was almost as dark, as the corner she hid in before. In the middle of the room it was the total opposite, the prototype was illuminated by many headlamps as she closed up to the ship. It hung down from the roof of the hangar and levitated curtly over the ground. It was very flat and had at it sides, two slightly snapped off, sharp looking, middle sized length wings where again hung one laser canon each. It also had on the back middle part two wings, which were identical to the ones on the side; they just were a bit smaller. The way they were set up on it, they looked like an extended 'V'. It had a sharp nose.

She was approaching un-alerted to the ship, until a guard with a clipboard in his hands came closer to her, "Hey, what are you doing here?" The monkey asked.

"I'm here because of the... changing of the guards." She answered with a deep pretended voice.

"Changing of the guards?" he looked some of the sheets from his clipboard up and then got unexpected hit with the back of the cat's blaster rifle right into the face.

"Yeah, the changing."

She was looked around fast, no one had seen her.

She sprinted to the ship, opened the cockpit, jumped in and closed it again and she let her knuckles crack a bit. "Let's see what this baby's got under its hood!" She said and moved to deactivate the control consol for the anchoring of the ship at the roof of the hangar.

Just as she had finished, an alarm siren was howling and the main gate of the hangar was opening. Several soldiers stormed in and opened fire as soon as they had seen the stranger in the cockpit of the fighter.

"Dang, they came earlier than I had expected." She said and she then pushed several buttons and a beeping was hearable. "Done, and now just to get the hell out of here!"

She charged the lasers of the ship, busted the main gate and flew as fast as the engines could get out into the toxic atmosphere of the planet.

She barely had left the atmosphere and she already became hunted by some enemy units, the Invader mark II. The Invader III was much faster than his forerunner and so she was able to reach the electromagnetic mist of sector Z without them even touching her.

There she managed to shake of her followers and their now jammed radars with no problem, because of the remaining ship debris of battles fought a long time ago.

Nobody exactly knows how sector Z has formed. It is only known that once there were many battles and now the sector is a real paradise for salvagers. As its name could already tell, sector Z is an orange colored nebular forming a big Z. Besides this sector there are also sector Y, forming a big green Y and sector X forming a big blue X.

She left the orange haze again and went into the direction of Corneria.

She took of her helmet. She was a young female cat, whose body was almost completely covered in pink fur. Only the plushy inner fur of her ears, her cat-muzzle, and her short tuft formed hair, which started over her forehead, was white and also not her, slightly with bright blue mascara colored, eyelids.

She searched with her big, dark blue eyes on the console of the ship for a radio and found it. She opened channel and talked into the microphone which was attached to a gadget at her wrist.

"This is Katt. Katt to Hot Rodders, can you read me?" She said with her youthful and still by adrenalin strengthened voice. "This is Charley, loud and clear. How did it go?" a male and also youthful voice asked through the mike.

"The mission was successful. I got the ship. Everything went swimmingly. Those Venomian dipshits didn't even know what was going on!" Katt said with a triumphant voice. "I'm on my way back home."

"Listen... " Charley said with a slightly stern tone.

"What's up Charley?" "

We caught up a radiogram a little while ago and it looks like Venom is supplying an ally in another system with weapons."

Katt smiled, what of course Charley wasn't able to see. "I didn't even know that these idiots had friends... Let me guess, I should fly to them and blow them away?"

"I'm afraid to say it, but yes. I'm sorry, but our flagship is, since the raid of the pirates, still pretty much down in the drain." He sighed slightly and sounded depressive and aggrieved.

"No problem this thing will easily do the job, don't worry! So, where do I have to go to?" She said to cheer him up.

"Thanks Katt. I'm sending you the coordinates."

She looked, before she activated the autopilot, at the way she had to fly.

"That could take a while; luckily they put enough supplies in this thing." When the dates were sent Charley reported once more. "Good, that's it. Me and the boys wish you good luck."

"Thanks boys. Katt over and out." Katt said and she closed the channel again and went on through the void of space.

~X~X~X~X~

The following weeks went on much better than John had expected.

On the rainy days, when Sefilia didn't have to work, they deepened their relationship and tried hard to do that in Sefilia's house when nobody was around. The Bafomdads acted like always, they were as fresh as a daisy, were always up to something and slowly understood the relationship between John and Sefilia and tried preferably not to interrupt them when they thought they were alone.

But not to echo the scene of the kitchen cuddled John, who often was very tired, because of mental exhaustion and Sefilia, who then often joined him most of the time sitting, but also off and on, laying on a couch and kissing gently, tenderly, passionately, but with the least amount of lust as possible so not to spoil what they had.

Between their fondness, they both achieved their duties they were assigned to do. John started with Sefilia's help to learn the lettering and tongue of the Cerinians, and Sefilia documented everything. John told her about his world, like cars, TV, and what especially interested her were planes and other flying vehicles, as she had never flown before.

She was totally fascinated what John told her, even though he never flew in a plane. His first flight was on a back of a Cloud-Runner but then he remembered his friend Kyte. John was now already several days in the city and totally forgot him. He hoped that he was alright, but then he had been alone much longer before, he was surely alright.

Here and then they digressed of their themes and again started to deepen their relationship. Sefilia and John liked the vicinity of each other, here and there her fur tickled his nose, but by and by he got used to it, really enjoyed it and then pulled her gorgeous body even closer to himself.

The people started to behave differently to John as well; they weren't scared anymore when they saw him and even greeted him sometimes. They slowly got used to him, and they accepted him as one of them. Thanks to Sefilia and their self-control no one ever caught the thought that they were more than just friends.

John also confessed to Sefilia that he told Beseril about their little secret. First she was slightly uncomfortable with that, but then she remembered herself that they had lied to him from the beginning and it really was important that this secret won't be retold. Sefilia also accepted the offer of John and gave him a picture of her which he put into the adherer's last free spot. She looked really happy on that picture and smiled, it appeared like it was spontaneously taken and Sefilia had taken of the necklace of her mother, which she only did when she went to sleep or into the shower.

In all that time they were together Sefilia never told John who attacked him in the night some days ago. She was afraid that her brother and her lover would hurt or even kill each other. She indeed hated her brother for what he had done, but still, she was his sister.

During that period they also got their first visitors at Sefilia's house. It was Adaril with his mother Salmakia, who just came back from some business and just wanted to see how "the newly fallen in love couple" or so how Beseril calls them. Adaril's mum didn't know anything about that.

While the grown ups often talked, Adaril just played with the Bafomdads hide and seek and catch, but he never was able to beat them. They always had to laugh, when he pushed one of them into a corner and was just a jump away for victory. But always after his jump it often ended with the Bafomdad just jumping over him and laid there aslope in the corner and you could read his facial expressions that he didn't know what happened and how he ended up like that.

Back then, John was told by Salmakia that Adaril grew up without a father. He died during an attack of the Sharpclaw, while she was pregnant. He never met him. That made everyone around a bit sad, but Salmakia simply said. "Life goes on. Don't look back, look ahead."

It was that what John always thought since the death of his grandmother, but he realized it first at that moment.

"He is a brave boy. He'll sure make it." Sefilia added slightly touched, when she saw how carefree he played with the Bafomdads.

They also visited by scientists, who read Sefilia's documentation and they wanted to talk a bit with John about planes and radios in their laboratory. The laboratory was a big, multi leveled, four squared building which also had, school verification at the outside and a library at the inside. The only difference was that this library was much bigger, but had less room to look at the entries. But instead there were several small laboratories, where you could do field work, but John wasn't able to see much more, because they brought him quickly into a room with a desk, a bowl of vegetables, and a cup of tea.

John tried to tell them the most important things he remembered. It wasn't much, but it gave them a push into the right direction for their first experiments. John also formed a habit to sometimes practice with the Cerinian guitar and often sat outside on a bench in the shadow of a big, blooming tree, which had small blossoms formed like a trumpet, and were colored from orange to red.

At the beginning he was very lonely, only the three rabbits stayed with him and listened to his music. They were only the first ones who listened to him, but by and by the people noticed that John was there playing. Most of the time they walked extra slowly to eavesdrop a bit longer to his music.

The only ones who really had the time to stay were kids. The little blue foxes assembled themselves around him and listened curiously to his music. Often he only played the songs which just came to mind. But here and then he intoned songs like 'Minority' and '21st Century Breakdown', in fact he didn't sing to the songs, because he thought his voice wasn't made for singing, but his listeners still liked it.

Every time he stopped playing, the kids wanted an encore and because John didn't wanted to see disappointed kids he kept playing for them.

Stealthily he assigned the Bafomdads to get Sefilia so that she could get him out of his situation. She always got him, because she had finished dinner or she needed his help to carry something heavy, which luckily, didn't made the kids sad.

In doing so he also again tested some clothes Beseril gave him so that he could make some advertising for his shop. Indeed he didn't like all of them, but he did it for Sefilia's sake. Meanwhile his MP3-Player ran out of electricity and the scientists, who had visited him, promised him as soon as they got time they'd take care of the problem.

But finally the week came to an end and John was finally allowed to remove the bandage and the bearer and disclaim the rake.

To celebrate the day, Sefilia's cooked a roast from a non-domesticated bird. As per the hunter who killed the bird, it was a very aggressive creature which was a threat to Cerinia's nature, which was brought by the Sharpclaw of another planet, probably to use them for war.

While they ate they again sat vis-à-vis.

"You again excelled yourself again." John commented, while he wolfed one piece after the other of the bird down pleasurably.

She smiled warmly on that comment. "You exaggerate again, but still, thanks. How do your fruits taste?" Sefilia asked the Bafomdads which again rushed on their delicious food. She snickered a bit when they looked at her happy and still were partial blotted with remains of the fruits.

Just when John put down the fork on his dish the doorbell rang. When Sefilia stood up and wanted to open the door, John said. "Don't be so ceremonious, go ahead and finish. I'll go and see who's at the door."

Sefilia just wanted to start her 'go easy on your leg' talk, when he, while he passed her, kissed her cheek and she remembered everything that happened the past week. She again sat down smiling and enjoyed the rest of her roast.

John opened the door and in front of him stood a messenger, which looked pretty similar to the one who brought the invitation for the audience. But this time he handed John a letter instead of a scroll and after he received it, friendly and thanked him. The messenger bowed down without saying a word and went with a steady speed back to the palace.

John had just learned a bit of the Cerinian language and writing, but he gave himself a jolt and while he was going back into the dining room he opened the letter and tried to decipher it. It wasn't a very long letter, but it was still difficult for him.

First off, the both of them were greeted and then he had to jump a big part because he didn't know the words. Here and then he read the word 'inhabitant' or something similar and at the end he read the signature of the king and saw a stamp. Just when he entered the room, Sefilia had finished eating as well and was about to tidy up.

"And, who was it?" She asked when she noticed him.

"It was a messenger. He gave me a letter from the king and disappeared right after. Wait a second; I'll help you with that." Sefilia was just about to bring her stack of dishes out of the room when he took it and gave her, as exchange, the letter.

With the Bafomdads and Sefilia at his side he went into the kitchen while Sefilia read the letter.

"What does it say?" John asked while he put the dishes in the kitchen into the white sink.

"The king has invited us again!" She said with a bright and happy voice. "It's about last week, they want a provisional result of our duties and they personally want to allocate you to your job!"

"Sounds good. When are we supposed to be at the palace?" He added, while he started to clean the dishes by hand.

"In two hours." She said slightly nervously.

"We have enough time then, and you don't have to be so anxious like the last time." He reassured softly because she was almost as nervous as the last time when they were first invited to the palace. He dried his hands with a towel and turned around to Sefilia.

"Hey Sefilia." He said as he took hold of her shoulders and looked into her eyes, "Don't worry, it seems the king likes me. He won't throw me out after such a long time. Plus we did everything they wanted us to do; they have no reason to be angry or upset."

"I know, but there is something else I'm worried about ..." Her voice sounded really worried.

"You can tell me everything Sefilia. I don't want to see you like that. I want you to be happy." He said with a concerned voice.

"I'm afraid that... person could appear again."

"Don't worry, we just have to hurry on the way to the palace and back again. We're safe there anyways, so just don't worry." He said giving her a confident smile.

She nodded, determined and confident too. "You are right. Come now, we have to find your clothes and wash them for the visit." She said and grabbed John at his wrist. He hadn't finished the cleaning the dishes but she didn't care.

When the time had come, they went to the palace, Sefilia again in her blue dress and the ring on her tail and John in his sack coat. The Bafomdads stayed at the house, but this time they were allowed to run around in the whole house received a proper portion of fruits.

They walked besides each other and because the sun was still shining when they left the house, John was able to see the glory of Sefilia shining in her dress. The people greeted them friendly and adored Sefilia's dress.

When they asked, why the two of them were such formally dressed they mentioned casually that they went on the second audience at the palace and that they had to hurry. Always when they had gone several meters again started a brisk susurrus behind them, but this time it had another topic.

Sefilia showed, like the last time, every guard the invitation, until they had reached the top of the stairs again and were already awaited by a servant and brought to the waiting room. This time the way appeared much faster than the last time.

They went through the halls with the sculptures and pictures, through the passage, through which holes you could see the palace garden with all his blaze of color and blooming flowers. At last they again stood in front of the portal to the big audience hall.

They were in the waiting room again and sat on the same couch as the last time and waited that a servant took them with him. Sefilia's tail was again wagging nervously and John tried to calm her down again.

"Don't worry; I won't try to do something stupid."

She smiled a bit because of that comment but in truth, she was more worried that she'd do something stupid.

Shortly after that, the servant came in and asked them to follow him. The door to the big hall was opening after the small one of the waiting room was closed. Again they were blinded by the intensity of the light from the hall, but they followed the servant without hesitation and went on the red carpet. Sunlight was shining through the big windows and was brightening the room with a soft blue-white light.

When their sight got better again, they saw that they again were welcomed by the whole royal family. They wore the same clothes like they did at their first visit. Sefilia was visibly relieved that 'he' wasn't there.

Almost at the end of the carpet they stopped and bowed down in front of the royalties and the king talked to them, "As I can see you are alright again Mr. O'Neil." The king said with his calm voice.

"Yes your majesty, thank you." John answered fast but calm.

Next the queen rose to speak. "I hope you were able to complete your task we wanted you to do."

Now Sefilia answered, "I'm sorry our majesty. There is much in his world, we don't know, it'll probably take some time, until I have recorded everything."

The king started to talk again, "Our scientists already informed us. They already work on the first model of one of those... flying machines. We also heard other things about you Mr. O'Neil.", he again turned to John.

He was confused. Did he know about Sefilia and him? But he thought it would be better to play dumb.

"Things, your majesty?"

"As I have heard, you do regularly play a music instrument at a special place." He said slightly interested.

John nodded. "Yes your majesty, that's true."

"And what makes you do this Mr. O'Neil?" Krystal suddenly took the word.

John was slightly surprised about the princess' question, but still answered.

"On my home world, I wasn't able to play such an instrument. I wasn't able to pay for one and so I just want to take my chance and enjoy it as much as I can... But you could also see it as something like a free time activity princess." he explained, while he tried not to light up red, because of some sudden heat wave which was streaming through his body.

"I understand, thanks Mr. O'Neil."

The king continued, "I've heard of much worse things Mr. O'Neil. Things which are very ominous in nature." John had to swallow on that declaration. He starred with slightly poached eyes to the king and he and Sefilia got both nervous, their hearts beat faster and they started to sweat.

"As I have heard you were assaulted by someone and that several times. Is that correct?"

At that, their anxiously churning insides were both heavily relaxed and John answered him calmly.

"Yes that is true your Majesty. But he didn't try to rob me; he just didn't want me to be here."

"And why didn't you tell the security personal about that?" Krystal again spoke.

"I didn't want to trouble you with such things. Back then, when he attacked me, I was weakened and I managed him, and now that I've got back my full strength that problem shouldn't be one anymore." He said docile.

"Mr. O'Neil, again under these circumstances, I should ask you to live at the palace. Here you are safe of all threats." The king raised his hand and referred to the soldiers which were in front of him.

John bowed down again and his voice was as calm as before. "Again I have to firmly decline your offer. I'm just a commoner as everyone else and so I should be treated like everyone else."

"I understand Mr. O'Neil. It's just displeasing to hear that one of our guests was attacked by one of my people. But if you wish it, so be it." That was how the king ended this part of their conversation.

"Fine Mr. O'Neil so that we talked about this point, we should start to get to the reason why we ordered you to us again. Your vocation. I let the stories you told us, cross my mind several times and decided with ample deliberation that you should go into the military."

The decision of the king whirled up many questions in John's head, but he didn't ask them, because he thought he could be very impolite with that.

"Thanks our majesty, I will."

Sefilia was shocked by what just happened and she was worried about John, "Don't worry about your friend Mrs. Wolferos." Krystal assured with her calm voice.

'She probably read my mind.' Sefilia thought.

"Our military only makes offensive missions only when they are very necessary to recue or help our people. Mr. O'Neil will first get to know his equipment and comrades, a simple task no?"

The king nodded to the declaration of his daughter. "So be it. Go in an hour to our quarters, there you will obtain your first task. Farwell Mr. O'Neil and Mrs. Wolferos." John and Sefilia bowed down again and went into the direction of the exit.

After the gate was closed they again got accompanied by a servant to the departure gate of the palace and while that the question literally exploded out of Johns mouth, "How did the king know about my past? I didn't say a word the last time." He whispered silently but clearly to Sefilia so that the servant wasn't able to hear.

"That had to be Krystal; she seemed to have read your mind." She also whispered back.

"And why didn't she bespeak the other secret?"

"I don't know, maybe she is not that good with her abilities."

"Or she wants to keep it for herself, but why?"

That question and the harrumphing of the servant let them stay quiet till they reached the exit and he bowed down in front of them. On their way back they hurried, because it was a very scant distance which John got to be at the quarters on time.

While John was redressing at Sefilia's house he again attached blame. "Hmpf... Again they didn't even mention the issue about the ceremony!"

Sefilia had to smile about his childish behavior. "You can barely wait for it, huh?"

"It would be nice to know that your people trust me fully, plus they then shouldn't see a problem between the two of us, I mean, virtually I'm then a member of the family."

"I guess you are right then, it would be nice not to play hide-and-seek anymore."

He had to hurry; he lost lots of time for complaining and because he had forgotten where the quarters were, Sefilia had to accompany him again. This time the Bafomdads weren't following them, they cuddled together on the couch after the latest meal and were sleeping tight.

John now wore his normal clothes again, a blue shirt with Cerinian symbols and fitting pants. Also Sefilia was slipping in her orange shirt and blue pants again. They went the same like the last time and John had to admit that many buildings were familiar with him.

When they arrived at the quarters John saw some Cerinians training. They fought with wooden swords and staffs against each other, did sit-ups, ran on a marked route and aimed with real fighting staffs at targets.

'Wait a second...' John thought, 'What are they doing with their staffs, they're not harpoons, aren't they…. Or maybe they are?'

Johns question was soon answered. Red fireball like projectiles were shooting out of the crystal tip and hit the targets with several strong explosions. Some were just incinerating the surface a bit, but other wooden targets were torn new ones twice the size of the fireball.

John was astonished, but couldn't spend much time for it because Sefilia was just ignoring the training ones and kept moving

.

They stood again in front of the same reception like the last time and again the same person was standing there with his back to them and arranging files. John had to pull himself together, not to start a quarrel again.

"Excuse me." he said civilly with all his willpower, which made it sound more forced than voluntary.

"Not this one again." the receptionist mumbled and turned around "Your wish?"

"I got allocated to the military and should receive my first job here."

"And your name is?"

"John O'Neil."

The old man was turning around again and searching for several files. His search was aborted after a short while and he again turned around to them and gave John a form.

"You are supposed to," he pointed at a door which was almost behind him, but one level above his head, "meet officer Calim up there, there you will get more orders." John nodded understanding and Sefilia was saying thanks for him. The old fox was turning around again and continued with his other duties.

"Listen Sefilia." John said with a calm tone and looked into her eyes.

"Yes?" she was answering his looks.

"I can manage it alone from here on, you should go home and take care about our friends, or else I fear that they will turn your house into a battlefield."

"Are you sure?" Sefilia asked to which John nodded and smiled.

"It could get late, just put a bowl with fruits out when you go to bed." She nodded as well.

"Fine, I'll do that. Good luck."

"Thanks."

While Sefilia was leaving the quarters again she waved him goodbye and so did he. When she was out of sight, John took one of the stairs at the side and entered the room he got shown.

~X~X~X~X~

After her long trip Katt finally arrived with the Invader III and the enemy convoy of venom. They were approaching a jungle planet and had already dived into the atmosphere. "Not with me you idiots!" She said and loaded the weapons of the stolen prototype.

~X~X~X~X~

John closed the door behind him and looked at the room. It was a weapon and armor chamber, it was rather small, barely bigger than the dining room of Sefilia. 'There are probably more of them.' John thought while looking around.

On the walls and in the room stood storage racks, which were filled with lances, swords, staffs and complete sets armors and a one meter high window was lighting the room.

When John was taking a closer look he noticed that every armor set and its weapons had their own pattern. He just wanted to get closer to it when he got reached gruff. "Get your hands of that!" A slightly mad, female voice said. John turned a bit shocked around.

A female Cerinian in a rough, leathern, tight outfit, which covered her whole body, except for her head and feet and which looked more like she got bandaged up, stood behind him.

Her face was more catlike like the ones of the others, but you were still able to see the fox relation. She was clearly older than him, what revealed the distinct, white fur in her face which covered almost the whole one. She had short, dark blue hair, a small silver ring in her left ear, which was as blue as the other one and she owned a pride bust size.

"What do you want kid?" She asked him again, with a still slightly angry tone.

First John had to reorder his thoughts. "I'm sorry." he was scratching the back of his head but finally his voice got more serious again. "I should report to officer Calim. I got subdivided to a mission."

She started to walk around John a looking at his body from bottom to top. John didn't know if he should feel flattered or not and he also noticed that she was bare foot. When she rotated him once she stopped in front of him again.

She looked into his eyes which, to tell the truth, worried him a bit. "So, you are that human everyone is talking about?" She said with a more friendly voice and mortise against her hips. John just nodded affirmatively.

"Yes Ma'am that's me. And I would like to talk to officer Calim, if I'm allowed to." Her pretty face was graced with a small smile.

Again she talked with her sweet, more tempting voice. "Calim is just busy, so you have to be satisfied with … me."

John had a very unlikely suspicion what she wanted to do with him, but tried to get rid of it as fast as possible because he didn't know if she was a telepath too. He just couldn't avoid getting red.

Also he had Sefilia and he didn't want to risk arguing with his love. But Siren just smiled more, when she noticed his blushing. A short break stepped in, until the vixen talked with a normal tone again.

"You haven't got your equipment yet, have you?" She again went past him and checked a part of the equipment, which stood in the storage shelves besides him as his eyes followed her.

"No, but I actually thought that I could borrow it."

"That's not possible." She said with a strict tone. "At least you are not allowed to use this equipment."

"And why, if I'm allowed to ask?"

She still looked at the gear and wiped a bit dust of it. "As you sure don't know, every Cerinian soldier has his or her own gear, he or she is only allowed to wear. Your weapons and armor agree to only one person, the first person who used them the first time. If you use the equipment of someone else without his permission it won't work out well. Swords get dull, staffs expire, lances get flimsy, and armors become weak and no one knows why." She turned around and looked at him, "And that's why you get a 'dead' armor first. It is made of the same material like the others, but because of a mistake during producing they don't have a will."

John now knew that she wasn't a normal Cerinian, the way she talked with him she remembered him more of a soldier than just an expert in military things. During these thoughts he didn't notice that he distorted his face questioningly, but she did.

"By the way I'm a soldier too and conveniently in the same task force like you kid, my name's Siren. And watch your ass; I don't to pull it out of the mud all the time." She was indeed older than John and had much more experience in fighting than John, but her slightly bold and brash character made him smile a bit.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to."

She shrugged her shoulders and walked to an entrance to a side room. John then noticed her tail for the first time. It was very similar to the ones of the other women, he had seen. It had a continuing blue tone, but his one had its uniqueness.

Apparently it was heavily affected because of fighting. At the one or the other place it had a small scar where it didn't have any fur. There also was a part of her marking on it, a multiple tailed, jagged lightning on its top and disappeared in her leathern outfit. She let it fray tempting to and fro.

"But sadly I feel obligated for it. Somehow you are personable to me kid, and if this comes from me it is a big thing." John just answered with a 'Hmph', because he couldn't say that he already had someone. "Don't get the wrong thoughts, first, you are much too young for me and second I already have an eye for someone else. Come on kid, I want to give you your gear so that you can go." She said over her shoulders, while she disappeared behind the corner of the side room. John who was still standing where she eyeballed him the first time now finally moved and followed her.

This new room was very identical to the last one, there was only one difference. Siren stood in one corner of the room and looked at something, John went to her. When he stood behind her he saw what she was looking at. It was an old grey armor, which had been repaired and polished several times and apparently didn't have a helm anymore. It looked very scabby.

Siren was patting on the chest part of the armor. "This one's yours kid. You are lucky that they forget to make a hole in it, or else your ass would freeze."

John lifted his eyebrow. "Seriously! I get this piece of junk!"

"You can fight naked against the Sharpclaw if you want." She said slightly provoking.

John lifted his arms to calm her down. "That was just a thought. And by the way Siren, don't call me kid. I've got a name too namely John O'Neil."

"First you have to earn it that I call you by your name. All newcomers will be called kid by me, so get used to it. And before I forget, here is your sword." She tossed him a brown, long pack.

John unpacked it a found the light-brown sheath with the white grip, which he got from Randorn to save the princess, in his hands.

"A really good sword fastened onto you, so watch out and don't lose it." Siren warned him, when she was just about to get the armor out of the shelf. "And now put your armor on."

John put the sword on one of the shelves and started to put on the single parts of the armor. The bracers and cuisses got affixed by a mix of a clip and a normal, very small bar, which both apparently haven't been oiled for a long time.

~X~X~X~X~

Sefilia was back in her home again. On her way back she bought some potted red and blue flowers, she wanted to surprise John and wanted to decorate the house. She had to admit that her life looked bit inconsolable without John or the Bafomdads which were still sleeping, and she wanted to change it.

On the way she met their friend Beseril. He helped her with her task and to thank him, she invited him for a cup of tea. They both sat in the living room and enjoyed the tea. The can stood on the table aside a petite vase with a wide fanned out, blue flower in it which gloried in the flooding light from outside. The Bafomdads were again blustering through the house.

"As I see it's going good between the two of you." Beseril commented curiously.

"Yes, he is different to the others."

"Different?"

"He is very tender and calm when we are alone." The vixen said as she blushed when she remembered those moments.

"And you don't think he just does that to abuse you?" The vulpine continued asking.

"He wouldn't have anything to gain like the others did. I told him about my brother and he hates him almost as much as he loves me."

Beseril nodded. "I see." He took a sip out of his cup. "Talking about love. Have you gone further than kissing yet?"

To Beseril's surprise she reacted very serene. "No, we decided it is better not to attract any attention, we will wait for the right moment until we do 'it'."

Beseril chuckled a bit, "You found the perfect boyfriend Sefilia. I wish I could find someone like him... He sure is the right one."

"Yes, I know." She smiled and drank some of her tea.

Suddenly she let go of her cup and it shattered on the ground.

"Sefilia, what's wrong?" Beseril asked deeply worried.

Sefilia was holding her head; pain was running through it, foreign pain. "I just felt something." She squeezed out of her mouth during her pain.

For her it felt like an enflamed nail was drilling in her head. "A scream! Someone just died during a battle. Many at the same moment!" She tried to repress the pain. It often happened to her that she noticed when someone died, but this time there must have been about a hundred people who lost their lives with one blow.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, but they weren't Cerinians and it wasn't on the surface."

"What do you mean with not on the surface? Where else?"

"John told me once about machines which could fly and fight in the air and even possibly in space."

The confused fox wasn't very sure what she was saying, "Do you mean ...?" He starred at her, he didn't know what he should say.

"Yeah, there is just a fight over Cerinia."

~X~X~X~X~

When John was finally fully dressed, he noticed that the armor was a bit heavier than his sword. "I guess that's because it's a 'dead' armor." He thought. "But at least it's fitting... almost." He thought as it chaffing a bit in his crotch.

When he was finally affixing his sword at his waist again, Siren was suddenly standing in front of him and wearing the armor as well. Hers was identical to the one of the men.

He didn't notice that she had left the room to dress as well. Her armor looked like his, only with the difference that hers was gleaming white and a big multiple tailed lighting was on its chest plate.

"I see, the armors take the form of the owners marking."

"You got it kid."

If she hadn't had her helm under her arm he wouldn't have been able to identify her. She also had another helm she had in her left hand. "Here." She tossed him the helm; he barely got it with his armor-plated gloves, before it had hit his face.

"That's a 'dead' helm of our stocks. Also a reject. We don't want that your brick-head to get squished, eh? Let's see if it fits." He looked at the helmet before he put it on.

It was made of the same pale, grey metal like the rest of his armor. It really was a 'dead' helmet and also a reject, because it didn't have any holes for the fox ears like Sirens'. It was a round helm with a small piece of metal in its middle over the nasal bone. It ended much earlier though, maybe because that was the place where the nose of a normal Cerinian began. It fitted like a glove.

"There you see, I still got a good visual judgment and now come kid, the others are already waiting for us, or do you want to get in trouble with officer Calim?"

John shook his head. "No, you're right I don't, let's go."

Siren guided him out of the room and John closed the door. When they had reached the ground level again, John saw a row of five soldiers, with almost identical armors, which still had their helm under their arms, standing in front of the entrance. They were four men and one woman.

They had different symbols on their chest armors, the woman clouds, the biggest of the men a big, wide ranging flame, the other three had a tree, waves and a bird which looked like the red raven John saw in the jungle.

Siren stopped in front of them and the waiting ones looked at both of them, John was confused and whispered to Siren, "So, who of those guys is Calim?"

As answer he just got an amused glance of her and a cocky smile, and then she again looked to the soldiers, "Okay everyone, that's the new one. You sure have heard something of him. I can't tell you much about him, but he will show us, if he got the skills we got told about! Prepare anything, we move out!"

They saluted in front of her, by putting their feet as close as possible together, standing bolt upright and forming with their right hand a fist which they pushed with the inside against their left shoulder and said in a choir, "Yes officer Calim!" they put on their helmets and went to a shelter for their mounts, a stable.

John was confused and shocked and his jaw dropped, but finally he saluted for officer Siren Calim, but she just laughed. "You should have seen your face kid that was priceless!" She put on her helm, while she was still chuckling "Come on, or should I make you run?"

**_Author notes:  
Sorry for letting you waiting that long, but I have not much time at the moment and I won't have much the next few days._**

**_Anyways, I hope you liked the chapter._**

**_Again I introduced a new oc, Siren Calim. She will appear more often in the future chapters. I have to say, liked her right off the bat :3_**

**_Being the pedantic person I am, I also included a short story, how Katt Monroe got her 'Cat's Paw' and connected everything with the story. I just wonder what kind of strange planet that is, she is just shooting down those transporters ^^?_**

**_Beta read by XxSanitariumxX, who is even more stressed than me at the moment, so don't piss him off :P_**


	14. Newcomer

**Chapter 14**

**Newcomer**

Siren went ahead to the stables where she sent her people to and John was following her because he had some questions. He started when he was walking besides her.

"So officer Calim, why didn't you tell me who you are?"

"I just wanted to see how you are, or would you have acted like you did if you had known that I'm your boss? And by the way, just call me Siren kid, that 'officer' thing is just a formal set phrase. Only when captain Wolferos is around you should do that, he's taking his job very seriously."

Siren was different from the Cerinians he had met yet, on the one hand she wasn't that worried about being all correct and formal, and on the other hand she didn't have a problem with using her 'weapons' like she did with John before.

"What exactly is our mission? I was just told to come here and then I get the rest of the information from officer Calim."

The attractive vixen was slightly bumping her forehead with her hand. "Crap, I almost forgot about that part… so, do you mind losing any body parts?" she asked him calmly.

"What!" John was rather shocked. He didn't expect that his first mission would be a suicide mission.

Siren just laughed again, only John was just able to look at her with a shocked mien. But she just punched him hard at his shoulder and giggled a bit. "Was just a joke. Do you think we would let a newbie die on his first mission? This is just a normal scouting mission, just riding a bit through the forest, enjoying the nature and maybe beating up some Sharpclaw. Don't take everything so serious, I just want to put you on. By the way, have you ever ridden on a Cerinian horse?"

John had to shake his head. "Sorry, not yet."

"Ohhh yeah, you are that 'CloudRunner-Rider'. But don't worry; they are gentle, if you know how you have to tread them."

Just at that moment, the door of the stables were smashed open and a very petulant Cerinian horse ran outside and tried to shake off its rider, a Cerinian soldier, and the beast was finally successful. The soldier went flying through the air and hit the ground hard.

"Ouch that surely hurt." Commented Siren on the fall.

The horse was calming down again and was strutting back to the stables. "That's what you call 'gentle'?" John asked aghast.

"That one was an exception, you'll get another one. Hey, is everything alright with you!" She called to the soldier, who meanwhile was standing up again and holding his hurting head. As answer he just raised his arm. "See? Wasn't that bad! Come on, now we'll get a hack for you."

Once they arrived inside the stables, John quickly noticed that there were two kinds of mounts. One of them was pretty wide and had six thick, short legs and their feet were a mix of hooves and a wide toe on every side of its foot. They were pretty furry and biggest part of their body and head looked very similar to a hippo, even the fact that the tusks were missing and the eyes were more in the middle.

"These are our draft animals." Siren mentioned while they were walking past them.

After that they came to their normal mounts. They had four long, slender legs and at their ends no hooves, but four, strong looking toes, which they could even use well at the uneven landscape of the planet. Most of the time their body was covered in a short, brown fur and they had, like a horse, a long, most of the time white mane, which wasn't hanging down, but sticking out as if they had been electrified.

Their head looked a lot like a horse's, even though it was covered with several dark brown stripes, their muzzle was much more petite and their nostrils were just small slits. Their tails were a bit longer than John's arm. There wasn't much hair, but at the beginning it was wide and it got thinner and rounder the closer it came to the end. Similar like the face of the animals the tail also had several vertical, brown stripes. Many of the animals were just eating green hay which was laying in some kind of watering hole. They almost walked to the end of the stables, where the rest of the group was already mounting up.

Siren went to the side to one of the animals and was petting its muzzle softly. "You'll get this one kid. Come'er and pull yourself up." John did as he was ordered and stepped into the horses stabling. When he got closer he saw that they were indeed related to horses, but they were bigger than them and he tried to figure out how he got on the back of this one.

"Try and use the loops." Siren advised him, who was meanwhile sitting on one of the horses opposite to him. John saw what she meant; at the side of the saddle were several loops, where the horseman could pull himself up, because it was almost impossible to get on their backs without any help.

He needed several tries, which were accompanied by silent laughter of the other soldiers, save for Siren, until he was finally on its back.

"See, it wasn't that hard." She said with a slightly sarcastic tone and then she turned to the other soldiers with a much more bearish tone. "You shouldn't laugh so much, you didn't do a better job than he when you first started." The laughter hushed and then one or another laid back his or her ears in shame.

She rode in front of the stabling where John was still standing inside, but before she could say a word John started. "Don't worry, I don't care about what they say, I'm over that."

"You had a hard time, huh?" She asked with a slightly suppressed voice.

"You could say that. Let's just say, I don't want to go back anymore." He said easy.

"Well then, you can get a shoulder to cry the next time." Her sarcasm just got commented by another little smile of herself and another 'Hmpf' of John.

"But now you should listen, or else you'll land on the ground like the other soldier before." She cleaned her throat. "Our mounts, the Pa'li, how we call them, are in fact easy to ride, if you know how to treat them. We use the reins; just take them in your hands." He had in front of him a half round metal belt which was bound with several leather stripes to the head of the Pa'li and he took it in both of his hands.

"When you flick it easily they slowly start to walk, the more often and the stronger you do it, the faster they get. When you pull the belt they slow down or stop totally or even walk backwards. If you want them to change the direction you just have to pull it to the left or the right. That should it be... ah yeah, if you want to go fast as soon as possible just kick their side, but then you have to get a good hold, or else you'll land on the ground like that guy before."

John nodded when he understood. "Alright then, let's see if I got it. Like that..." He flicked the belt a bit and the Pa'li started to walk. Siren had to make space so that the horses didn't bump together.

"Hey, not bad for a rookie and the first time." The vixen congratulated him. "I guess we can go then, huh?" She turned around and winked the other five to her. "We move out folks, the newcomer got it." She turned a last time back to John. "You just attach yourself to the back and try not to cause any trouble." It seemed she had heard about the story of him and the receptionist, he smiled under his helm.

"I'll do my best."

She nodded to him a last time and then she rode on her horse into the direction of the exit and the other five behind her. They rode in single file through the city, but not to the gate John knew; they rode to a small gate at the side of the city. John noticed that his appearance in the armor attracted some attention and again he was now being watched by some people, but it wasn't that uncomfortable as it was at the beginning. The situation was getting better, when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey John, over here!" He looked around until he found the source of the voice at his right.

"Hey Adaril." He said to the small, blue, and very active fox was with other kids, boys and girls that came to him. John ordered his Pa'li to stop. He took off his helm to get a better look and pinned it under his arm. "And how's your mother doing?"

"Momma is fine. She is just doing her home duty."

John turned to the other children. "Are those your friends Adaril?"

One of the smaller girls was hiding behind her friends, when her eyes and John's met shortly. Adaril noticed that and tried to put her nerves at rest. "Don't worry. He is totally cool. I already told you that he lives at the place of our doctor Sefilia."

The little girl was now coming out from her cover and talked by herself with a silent, small and soft voice. "You always play the nice music at the tree. Will you play again today?"

"Sure. If I'm back and it isn't too late I'll come again and I will play for you."

The girl made a step forward. "Really?" She asked with a bright voice.

John had already opened his mouth when Adaril cut him off. "John keeps his promises as sure the sun goes down and as sure as Sharpclaw are dumb and ugly." The kid fox declared cheekily.

John had to smile a bit by that comment and noticed that his comrades were already out of sight. "Listen guys, I got to go or else I'll getting trouble with officer Calim. So then Adaril, don't cause any trouble for your mum's sake. See ya!" He put his helm on again and rode after the others with a bit faster then the others so not to lose them. He heard several callings of the kids and lifted his hand to say bye without looking back. John just caught up with them, when they had reached the gate.

It was much smaller than the main gate, but still one of the small houses would easily fit in it. It was made up of the same white-blue glimmering metal like the main gate and was also decorated with symbols, which meanings John now knew.

They represented the various professions of Cerinia's people and the royal family. Besides the gate stood two guards and Siren gave them a hand sign, whereon one of the guards went to the gate and touched it so that it opened up. He made way for the seven horsemen and went back to his post.

Behind the gate were the fields he had already seen during his arrival. On one side there grew meters high cereals and on the other side was an endless appearing flower field which was enlightened because of the sunlight in every bright and warm color you could imagine.

The biggest part of the field was covered in the flowers he had seen on the picture in Sefilia's house. They looked like small tulips with a big, round, orange pistil. His amazement just got deflected by a much more majestic view. The white walls of the main city, how they gleamed in the sunlight and emitted a feeling of peace and bliss. He also saw several soldiers patrolling on the wall.

He enjoyed a bit the sight of the environment around him, until something happened in front of him. Siren gave a sign with her hand and the others started to make two rows. The female soldier in front of him made space so that he could ride besides her. At first he didn't react.

"What are you waiting for! Move your ass!" He got snubbed by her then he moved up.

'Stay calm John. It's just an accident that you are always around the women.' He thought when he noticed that his companion didn't look less attractive than Sefilia or Siren despite that armor. 'But still, the way she approached me, I'm not her type at all.'

The two soldiers in front of them started to talk, and it seemed it didn't bother Siren in any way because she took everything pretty easy as he thought.

They just had reached the jungle and entered a dirt rack. John just got bored and started to talk with the Cerinian besides him. "Sooo... Why did you go to the military?"

She acted like she hadn't heard him and instead she picked a purple fruit from one of the trees which were close to the track and started to eat. "Aha, I understand, the silent type."

She swallowed and stared at the back of the head of her mount.

"Do you really want to know, why I am here right now?" She asked with a slightly annoyed voice. John didn't have to give an answer. "Because most of the guys think that war and weapons is their business... And I just want to prove that black is white." She said decided and even angrier than before.

"Pst, hey newcomer!" One of the soldiers before them had turned around, he indeed whispered to John, but he was loud enough to get heard by the vixen. "I'm gonna tell you why she really joined the army. Because she can't cook, clean, or work like a woman, that's why she's doing a man's job." To this statement, he got thrown the soft fruit she just ate, right into his face.

His neighbor just laughed after that and got hit by a fruit as well, which juices ran down his neck, right into the openings of his armor. But he didn't attach blame, because his attacker was already holding another fruit in her hands. When John looked at her, anger was written on her face, because the first one seemed to be right.

"Don't let them tease you. Just kick their asses pretty hard at least once so that they know who they have to deal with."

"And I won't need your help at all!" She chewed John out.

"Hey, I just wanted to help." John replied innocently.

"Did I ask for it! No! So then keep out of my business!"

"Dude!" John started a loud counter defense. "There I go, just wanting to help someone and as thanks she kicks you right in your face." He again turned around to her. "What did I do to you anyways? Could you tell me that! Because I'm different or what!"

"Because you are a guy! You just kiss a woman's ass to get her in your rack!"

"That's why she has no boyfriend." The second one whispered to the first one, before he again got hit by a fruit at the back of his head, but this time not by the vixen. She just had prepared, when she looked to John, who just grinned. "I thought he just should shut up."

The woman seemed even more bugged than before and now shouted at John. "What is your problem!"

"I don't want you to compare me, with guys like him." John pointed a bit derogatively at the first one of the two soldiers. "Not everyone is like those guys. You maybe know Beseril; he sells clothes in a boutique. I guess, he should be the best example. He isn't even attracted to women!" He had to laugh a bit.

"I think I know, who you mean." She laughed a bit with a hand covering her mouth. "You are right there, he is the best example."

"By the way, you are not my type." John commented after that. She looked at him questioning "You are too old for me." He said not to mention the real fact.

"Hey, watch your mouth!" She said sharply but mellow. "Plus, I've got a name!" She added.

"Oh, you too?" John commentated again, with a smile and a slight laughter.

Agitated she reached her hand to him. "My name is Amalia Ashfall!"

John took her hand happily and shook it. "John O'Neil or just John."

"Hey, cut the chatter back there." Siren ordered and lifted her fist. Her ears where twitching sensitively. She had heard something. The others now also raised their ears, John also tried hard to hear something and so he took off his helm. He noticed how the ears of the others where twitching and several moments later he heard something as well. Some kind of humming, more a swooshing, which was getting closer, fast. They looked around; it didn't come from the front, from behind or out of the jungle.

They looked up at the same moment. They saw through the slightly clear treetops how a small fireball broke through the atmosphere and rushing to the surface of the planet.

"What's that, are we under attack?" One of the soldiers asked. John squinted his eyes together to get a better look.

"A ship?"

The others turned around to him. "A what!"

"Are you sure!" They asked him.

"If not, it could be a meteorite. But since when do meteorites do have wings?" Siren again looked up to the fireball before it disappeared behind the trees of the jungle.

"I guess you are right kid. Come on guys, we'll take a look."

Siren and the others kicked their Pa'li in the flanks, whereon the normal so calm animals screamed furiously and started to run along the path with an enormous speed. John did that as well, but followed them on a slight distance, because he still wasn't that sure about ridding these animals.

The group stopped at the side of the path which was totally overgrown, Siren jumped off her horse, drew her sword and started to fight herself through the greens. "We will leave the mounts here; I guess they won't run away." She said while hacking some ropes down.

They changed shifts here and then, so that they could go on fast and not tire out. After about ten minutes of plants and vegetation chopping, they had arrived at the crash site of the ship.

During the crash, the ship had torn a hole into the treetops and lit them up with several small fires around it the crash site. It dragged itself several meters over the ground and because of the uncontrolled entry into the atmosphere it was burned black all over. It appeared that it once had several wings, but now only two were left on each side. They were gently curved and sharp.

"Take out the fires first!" Siren ordered. The soldiers portioned around the wrack and stamped and hit the fire with the wide side of their swords so that the jungle couldn't start to burn. It indeed rained a lot on Cerinia, but they wanted to be sure.

After all fires where put out, John started to climb onto the ship, it was strange that it had almost cooled down though. "Hey, what are you doing?" Siren snapped at him.

"Someone had to fly that thing, didn't he? I just want to know who." He called back.

"Then watch out, a Sharpclaw could be in there!" Siren warned.

'Pretty unlikely.', he thought 'They are way too stupid to fly something like this.'

He now stood over the cockpit of the pilot; it at least looked like one. A round glass dome, which was covered by cracks and splints so that he wasn't able to see the person inside. He only saw a silhouette which wasn't moving anymore. He drew his sword and cut, with the help of the aura, a round hole into the robust glass and threw it aside.

"And, who is sitting inside?"

He was surprised, what he was seeing there in front of him. "It's a cat, a girl, she's unconscious!" In front of him indeed lied a girl.

"A girl!" Siren shouted back asking without really expecting an answer.

She was a petite, pretty cat, with a slightly gleaming pink colored fur in a grey uniform. Her eyes were closed and so presented a blue, slightly blurred mascara on her eyelids. Besides her also lied a weapon, which looked very similar to the ones, which were used in John's world. He stripped of one of his plated gloves and felt the pulse at her throat.

"She is still alive! I need some help to get her out of here!"

"Hey, help him." Siren ordered the soldier with the flame chest armor. He climbed up a bit slowly, but after Siren scowled at him, he started to get faster. After he tried his best not to fall from the ship, John reached into the ship and put the strap of the weapon around his neck.

"Hey, what do you have there?" Amalia asked, after she saw the weapon.

"It's probably a gun. Where I come from we got something similar."

Both of them stood at one side and then they lifted the alien cat, by reaching under her arms, out of the ship. It seemed that the other one didn't want to have any bearing on her. After they had pulled her out of the ship he left John the task to bring her off the ship safely. Because he didn't know if she was hurt or not, he held her like a husband carried his wife and jumped down off the ship.

During that, he noticed that there was something strange with her tail. There was no damage inside the ship, but still her tail was covered in smut. He didn't know why, but he could take care of this later. She wasn't heavy and as far as he could see, she was about twelve inches shorter than him. John had to accept, she was kind of cute. He heard some whistles of the other men, which were ignored by him and suppressed by Siren.

Siren went to the unconscious girl and turned her head a bit to her to get a better look, "She's pretty. You got a good catch there." She said slightly provoking and patted his back, the others laughed again. "We better take her with us and let our doctors check her through. Hey Ashfall, you'll ride in advance and tell the others that we have an injured person...! Hey Ashfall what are you doing to the ship!"

Amalia was checking a spot at the side of the ship and smeared a bit of the grime from the ship.

"Hey, what's that?" She said when she had found something.

The others went to her and left John with the unconscious cat on his arm. They stared at the spot where Amalia had removed the black dust, but you could see in their faces that they didn't know what it was.

Siren winked him to them. "Come here kid, maybe you know what this is." He went to them and they made some space. The place which was cleaned showed a green planet and something that was written underneath.

"Venom..." John replied.

"What is this supposed to mean?" The soldier with the wave armor asked. He was one of the two who had bullied Amalia during the ride.

John remembered his voice. "That's the place where the ship came from." John said gruffly.

"Fine and where is that?" The one with the tree armor asked.

John shook his head. "Don't know, but we can ask her when she's awake again." He pointed at the cat, which he was still holding in his arms, unconscious.

"Ok guys!" Siren said in a commanding tone. "Ashfall! Go ahead and get a sani, the rest of you, follow me!" She barked. The rest of the team saluted but John, who had to carry his package the feline, and Amalia who started to run back to the mounts. The rest of squad prepared to leave; only Siren stayed a short time at the ship and placed a crystal at the bottom side of the pilot consol. Despite his big liability to Sefilia, John couldn't resist to examine Siren carefully while she was bowing down and doing something inside the ship.

"What was that?", John asked slightly confused and innocently, when Siren was jumping off the ship.

"That's a detection crystal, with the help of that thing; we can find the ship easier again later."

The others went ahead and prepared the Pa'li to ready them to march. When John finally got out of the bushes, Siren was already sitting on her Pa'li in front of him. "I'll take her from here on to the city; I don't want you to get any wrong ideas with her!"

John was glad not to carry the girl anymore, despite the strange fact that she smelled slightly like cherries, that made her even cuter in John's eyes. Every time John had thoughts like that, he kicked himself mentally to get a clear mind again. He had Sefilia; they loved each other, over and out!

She laid on one of the couches and just started to relax after that pain she just had suffered. There was a pack of ice on her forehead. Beseril was still with her because he was afraid it could start again, then somebody knocked on the door.

"Relax, I will go." He said, calming her down and stopping her when she just wanted to stand up. Instead she pushed her slightly off-centered ice pack back on her forehead.

Beseril opened the door. An acutely subtle garish Cerinian stood behind it, he was a courier.

"I have a message for Miss Wolferos."

"She is manqué at the moment." He lied. "I will give her the news, when she is back again." He again said emphatic, when he denied the try of the courier to get inside.

"Tell her that one of our patrols had to come back earlier than planned. The patrol of officer Calim. Something happened and somebody got hurt."

"Tell them that I will be right there!"

It was Sefilia, she had heard everything and was terrified about the thought that something had happened to John. She had gathered new power. Both were surprised to see her. The courier threw an angry glare at Beseril and then left. He hadn't seen the sweat where she was drenched in, but Beseril did.

He tried to get her back to saneness. "Sefilia, you really should lay down and sleep!"

"John was in Calim's team, something could have happened to him!" Her head started to hurt a bit again, but the thoughts what could have happened to him didn't let her rest.

Please take care of our three little friends as long as I'm gone."

Beseril shook his head. "You are and always will be a bulldog, sweaty. You really would do anything for him, would you?" She just took on her jacket and didn't answer, because he knew what she would say. He gave up. "Alright. I will get you there so that you don't tumble down on your way. Your fluffy friends are sleeping; they are alright at the moment."

"Thanks Beseril."

"No problem." He sighed.

It took them a while, until they had reached the hospital. At the same moment the patrol arrived. Instantly she looked around. She just wanted to know where John was and if he was alright. Her heart jumped when she saw him, unhurt.

"Where is the injured one?" She asked before falling into Beseril's arms.

"She is with me!" Calim appeared out of the small team of Pa'li riders, with the unconscious, pink cat in the grey uniform, who sat in front of her.

"That's an interesting girl." Beseril commented, when he examined her. "I wish, I had such a wonderful fur." He rhapsodized full of friendly jealousness.

Most of the people overheard that. "Hey kid, help me with her." Sefilia was a bit surprised when John jumped off his Pa'li and took the girl from Siren.

Sefilia had to concentrate now, she still had headaches, but she had to ignore them for the time she had to take care about the girl.

"She is not from here." She declared when she saw her fur and her appearance. "What happened?" She asked slightly interested, when she made the first checks, while the girl was lying in John's arms. Sefilia lifted her eyelids, which uncovered two blandly blue eyes and looked for her pulse.

Siren nodded over to John. "He will explain to you everything. I have to make a report and take some support with me. Ashfall, take his Pa'li with you. And kid, you can take your stuff with you, you are signed off for today. You'll get a message for the next mission."

Siren rode in a steady speed with the rest of the troop back to the quarters, while Amalia attached the reins of Johns Pa'li at her own and then followed them as well. John didn't know if he just had imagined that or not, but while Sefilia had checked the cat she might have winked at him.

"Alright, bring her inside." Sefilia said, after she had finished the pre-checking. "Thanks for your help Beseril." She said to Beseril for goodbye.

"No problem darling. I'll go back and keep an eye on your friends."

They walked through the same hallway John had walked through the first time they had met. The walls and the roof with the black linings on white ground were just too familiar.

Sefilia took the word after a few moments.

"The armor fits you well John." She said friendly.

"Thanks." He answered her as friendly back. "What happened? Where did you find her?"

"She crashed with a spaceship in the jungle."

"A spaceship? She is pretty young for being a pilot." She said while she was shortly running her hand through the hair of the unconscious girl.

John got a bit curious. "And where did you find Beseril?"

"I went shopping and met him during it. I bought some nice flowers to decorate the house a bit and Beseril helped me to carry it back to it. As thanks I invited him to a cup of tea." She explained.

"And why did he come with you?"

"Because he..." When she was about to start talking about her headaches she just forged something. "You know how Beseril is. He was just curious and when I told him that you were in that troop, nothing was able to stop him."

John just had to shake his head and laughed a bit for himself. "That Beseril."

After a short walk, they reached the room, which John memorized as well. He put her on the bed with the scanner and sat down besides her. He put the weapon, his sword and his helm on one of the shelves around where nothing was put on already. He sighted. "That's the moment when memories are coming back, huh?"

Sefilia just concentrated herself on the machine, which was adjusting the scanner. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"That's the place where we met the first time. Did you already forget?" He looked at her, although she was still busy with the machine.

"No, I did not..."

Suddenly Sefilia's headaches came back and this time they were almost stronger than before. She breathed heavily and backed herself on the controls of the scanner. John noticed that something was happening. "Sefilia, what's wrong?" He got up and went to her.

"Something happened. Maybe it has to do something with the girl." The pain got more intense. "It was like, I feel suddenly the pain of hundreds of people inside my head... and it's starting again!"

John didn't know what he should do. Every single hair of her body, even her tail suddenly shot straight up and ruffled every single hair.

"It feels like a nail is drilling inside my head!" She shrieked in pain.

"Damn! I'm getting a doctor!" John said hectically and ran against the door, but it didn't open. "Bloody hell! Open up you fucking door!" He rammed himself again against the door, but it didn't move an inch. His shoulder hurt, but he didn't care. He wasn't able to get outside this way.

Meanwhile Sefilia had slumped down to the ground and screamed. He had to act. He got his sword from the shelve and cut, with the aura, through the white door with the black markings and got on the hallway.

John shouted for help. "We need her a doctor, now!" Someone ran from behind the next corner, a doctor whose doctor's overall fluttered hectically through the air, a nurse and a soldier. It that moment time passed that slowly for John that it almost didn't exist. That soldier had grey fur and his arms moved strange... as if he were hurt.

"Over here!" John shouted and motioned them into the room with the destroyed door before he went in himself and taking care about Sefilia again.

She had curled up herself and still screamed. He kneed down to her and stroke her gently, "Help is on the way Sefilia! Hang in there!" Shortly after that the doctor and the nurse entered the room. The doctor pushed John aside and checked Sefilia, while the nurse asked John the specifics.

"What happened?"

John was that much afraid about Sefilia that he almost couldn't think too clearly. "She-she said that she felt pain of other people, of many people. It got stronger, until she collapsed."

"Nurse, get me a strong depressant in a syringe at once!" The nurse nodded and searched in Sefilia's shelves for syringe and the right remedy.

It was the first time that John's eyes spotted the soldier who had accompanied the nurse and the other doctor. All the time he stood at the door and watched what had happened. John knew who he was and he would rather punch him right into his face, but he had to take care of Sefilia. He couldn't help by supporting the doctor, but he could be with her in his thoughts and hope that she heard his voice that she fights against the pain and won't give up.

"Hang in there Sefilia, it will be over soon."

He just stood there, crossed his arms and just watched the occurrence with a serious look.

The nurse had found everything and handed the doctor the syringe. "Hey you, help me here!" The doctor postulated of John.

"Huh? What should I do?" John went to the doctor and the still suffering Sefilia, but he didn't know, what he could even do.

"You have to hold her arm, or else the needle could break of or I could miss the vein."

"Alright."

The nurse moved aside. Sefilia was still trembling heavily and John tried hard not to hurt her even more. He felt very clearly how her pulse was racing, that worried him even more. But he controlled her arm allowing the doctor to jab the needle into her veins and press the liquid inside. John didn't see that, because he never was a big fan of needles and syringes. He looked down again when the doctor said that he could let her arm go. John also felt how her pulse was slowing down and more regular and she stopped fighting and resisting against her helpers.

"Her condition has calmed down again, she will be alright soon. Bring her into the next room the nurse will open the door for you." The doctor said to calm John down, because it was clearly visible that he was worried.

It was the first time the doctor looked up and saw the unconscious, young cat. "What about the girl?" John put the weapon of his visitor around his neck and was just about to take Sefilia in his arms like the cat before.

"Sefilia had just checked her data. They still should be in the machine. Would you please finish the checkup?"

The doctor nodded. "I'll take care of it. Nurse, would you please bring the young man and my colleague into the next room please." The nurse nodded. "Oh, yeah, before I forgot, bring her, to us when she is awake please. She'll surely speak no word Cerinian." John added.

"Very well, I will." He took a short look on their guest's data. "She was lucky; she doesn't seem to be hurt. She just got some scratches."

"That's good." John responded.

John just prepared himself with a verbal conflict with Sefilia's brother. However to his surprise he was gone. He left without getting any info about his sister's well-being. John couldn't do anything than despise that man.

"What wanted Wolferos here anyways?" John asked without sounding angry. "Captain Wolferos wanted to talk with the girl you found." He said and accented the 'captain' notably. "But it seems that he has left already."

"Please follow me Mr. O'Neil." The nurse said and wanted to bring him and Sefilia into the other room. John nodded and followed.

Actually the room was just the one next door and it looked like Sefilia's room. There was a bed, a shelve, and several medicines around. Only the scanner was missing. John knew what he had to do and placed Sefilia on the bed softly. Then he took the weapon of the girl and his own down and put them on the shelve aside.

He sat down besides her. "I'll keep an eye on her until she is awake. Just let the door open that I don't have to kick it open again when there are any problems." The nurse smiled a bit and let the door open so that the lock didn't close and that he could simply push it open.

John was slightly running the back of his hand over Sefilia's cheek and let it also run through her soft, silky, blue hair. Despite the circumstances she was lying in front of him, and to him she looked like an angel who had come from heaven to save him from his pain. He had to be alert so that he didn't get caught as he bent over and kissed her slightly on her cheek and smiled.

* * *

_**Authors Notes:**_

_**So the next chap is up and I hope 15 will be soon too. Being the fair person I am I repeat, what I have already mentioned in my interview FFSF (if it's even up already).**_  
_**There will come a climax in this story soon and it will start with the end of chap 18 so stay tuned.**_

_**Spell-checked and Beta-read by XxSanitariumxX, despite his trouble he had the last few days.**_

_**Thanks dude.**_


	15. A New Threat?

**Chapter 15**

**A New Threat?**

It was dark. John stood in a hallway which was lit by the quick light flashes for a short time. Around him stood or sat Cerinians at the walls, civilized like soldiers. Some where hurt and bandaged, bleeding, or just laid there motionless. They were afraid; the kids cried and hugged the ones who didn't move anymore. Some soldiers walked past him, their armor was covered in red and yellow blood. John was sure now.

"A battle."

Now John noticed that he also wore armor and like the others it was covered in blood as well. He didn't know what he did, but his body moved on its own. He walked through the hallway; he passed the frightened and the hurt. It got dark again. He only heard his armored feet walking over the stone floor and the metal sounds emitting through the void.

After awhile of walking there was a light coming closer. He was blinded for a short moment, but the sight improved soon after that. Everything around him was bright and white. It wasn't like the place before in any way.

He didn't know what he should do there because there was nothing, but his feet still carried him further on. He walked into the direction of something, a small black dot in the eternal light where he was at the moment. But the closer he came the more uncomfortable he felt. He came closer and slowly he thought that he could figure out what the black dot was. A person. He indeed only saw a silhouette of that person, but he already knew that this person had to be a Cerinian because he saw a tail.

The closer he came the more sure he was.

"Sefilia!" She turned around to him, it was Sefilia! But something was different. Her eyes were empty and she wasn't smiling anymore, but only looked at him with a cold look on her face. "What's wrong?" She didn't answer while he was still coming closer. "Sefilia, please say something!" But she didn't.

Her head was hanging down now and then she collapsed.

"Sefilia!" John was able to break free of the alien hold and was running to her.

She didn't rise by herself anymore and John became sick with fear, but he kept on running. When he reached her he kneed down to her and lifted her head a bit. "Say something, please." Something was definitely wrong; her eyes weren't opening anymore.

Small black tears were running down the blue vixen's cheeks. He held her hand and still tried to reach her. "Everything will be alright; I'll go and find help. Hang in there, please!" He cried, tears now running down his cheeks.

John was shocked and despaired. He was holding her hand, but he felt nothing, no pulse, no fur, no skin, and no warmth. It was like something had drained life out of her body.

She was dead… he couldn't do anything… he had failed. He had let the love of his life die and wasn't able to do anything against it.

Of the many tears he cried became many and of the many became a stream. He hugged the motionless body of his lover. "Forgive me, forgive me please! Sefilia… I'm so sorry my love."

"Hey, wake up!"

"Sefilia!"

"I said, wake up!"

"Please come back!"

John felt pain on his cheek. And then again.

The pain brought him back to reality. It took him a moment to realize where he was. He was kneeling down on the ground, in the room where he had brought Sefilia before. He himself was drenched in sweat. He went quickly to her and checked if she was still sleeping. She was fine and that was the only thing that mattered for him at the moment.

He remembered the pain that had ripped him out of his nightmare and he turned around. "Beseril!"

The Bafomdads stood beside him and let their ears hang down, worried for they saw Sefilia. "Don't worry, she's fine again." He eased them.

The fox with the colored hair smiled slightly. "You made me worry sweetheart. I'm sorry, but I had to do that."

"That's alright. Thanks, I'm happy that it's over." He sighed to the vulpine.

"A nightmare?"

"The worst I've ever had!" The human sighed.

"I heard. You talk in sleep, do you know that?"

"Now I do." John admitted hollowly.

"You are lucky that nobody else was around, or else everyone would now know about your little secret."

John needed a moment to gather his thoughts again. "Why are you here anyways?" John asked curious while he was patting the Bafomdads to calm them down.

"Well, I did as I promised and watched over your house and took care of your friends. And during that I took a short nap for my beauty sleep and a moment later your friends here woke me up the next morning… and because the two of you weren't back yet I got curious. On the street I've heard that there was another wave of those pain attacks and, tatum! Here I am. By the way, the princess was one of its victims."

"Is she alright?"

"Yeah, there were enough doctors around and they could take care of her fast enough."

"And the others?"

"The most of them were lucky… the others not. The people say that about twenty didn't make it."

John was shocked; Sefilia could have been one of those twenty.

"Do we know what caused those pain attacks?"

Beseril shook his head. "As far as I know, everyone had the same pain because of the same things like Sefilia."

John mulled that in his head before finally asking.

"So it's morning?"

"Yes sweetie."

John had to scratch the back of his head a bit. "That's funny, it doesn't feel like morning."

There was a knock at the door. "Excuse me Mr. O'Neil; the girl woke up, please come with us." The nurse he had met before was standing under the door frame.

John stood up again. "Could you do me a favor and look after Sefilia as long as I'm gone?"

"For you, always." Beseril winked slightly at him with one eye.

"Thanks and could you do me a favor as well and wait here with Beseril?" He now turned to the Bafomdads. They didn't appear as they were sure, but they accepted his request and stayed with Beseril.

Outside in the corridor the nurse stopped in front of the other room again. "As you assumed, she doesn't understand us and she is refusing to put on the translator. You should talking to her and bring her back to sanity."

"I'll try." John assured but wondered if it would work.

He noticed that they put in a new door there where he had cut a hole in the wall earlier and he heard some shouting from the insides of the room. He nodded to the nurse and she nodded back and opened the door for him. The shouting got louder.

"Let me out of here you dipshits or I'll kick your ass!" She was alone in the room and was pounding her fists against the walls, she had thrown over all of the furniture in the room or even broke some and scattered all of the medicine on the floor. He thought to himself that she was more likeable when she was asleep.

Her eyes showed pure rage and stuck to John when she had spotted and examined him quickly.

"Hey, just keep cool for a second; we just want to help you." John started and lifted his hands slightly.

"I don't know who or what you are, but I already told you that I don't understand a fucking word you say!" The angry girl snapped.

He was confused, how wasn't she able to understand him? Then he remembered and he hit himself against his forehead and looked behind his ear for the switch of his translator.

Now the pink cat was confused as well and looked at him like she wanted to say. 'What is this idiot doing now?'

He finally found the switch, "Do you understand me now, you little brat?"

She dropped her jaw, "You can understand me?"

"Didn't I just…" John started but gave up mid sentence.

"Where is my ship?" She asked slightly pissed.

"That's lying in the jungle and our people are seeing to it." He said in a calm tone.

"What the hell is going on here anyway? Where am I!"

John crossed his arms. "You are in a hospital on a planet called Cerinia. I could ask you the same thing; you are the one who crashed here- WHAT THE HELL!" John quickly turned around.

The young cat had started to strip off her uniform. "Don't worry. Do you really think I would strip in front of you? The uniform was just a pain in the ass that's why I wanted to get rid of it."

"And now?" John asked who was still standing with his back to her.

"Of course I wore some clothes underneath or did you think, I would beg for clothes after I got naked?"

John turned around again. The girl now wore a yellow top with short sleeves. It proudly presented her pink furred stomach; she also wore a blue and tight pair of jeans, which were slightly over her hips, and black boots she had worn before.

At her wrist she wore a small grey gadget.

Her fur was a bit unkempt and at her elbows she had small bloodstains, but all in all she seemed to be okay.

The uniform lied in front of her, trampled down and her dirty tail was swinging back and forth.

"So?" John started again.

"So what?" The cat asked slightly confused.

"What did you do inside the ship Pinky?" John asked slightly annoyed.

"First, my name isn't Pinky, second this is none of your fucking business!" That annoyed John even more.

"Well that's a shame." He shrugged. "If you don't want cooperate, they will just take you to prison and throw away the key."

She raised her eyebrow and sat down on the messed up bed behind her. "Okay, I understand. But still…" She raised her hand threateningly. "Call me Pinky one more time and I'll claw your face off. My name is Katt Monroe."

"Alright Pin-… I mean, Ms. Monroe, my name is John O'Neil." He handed her his armored hand and she stood up and handed him hers as well. "So, what happened exactly?" John asked, after she let go of his hand and sat down again.

"In short, I was on a mission to destroy a Venomian weapon-transport-convoy, which was on the way to this planet. Unfortunately one of those bastards managed to shoot me down." John raised one of his eyebrows. "What?" She asked.

"So young and already shooting down other people?"

Again she pointed threatening with her finger at him. "Hey, I may be young, but I learned early enough to get around on my own, plus…" she crossed her arms and made an annoyed look. "I'm not the youngest, so shut up!"

"Wait a second. I saw the emblem on the wreckage. Why would you shoot down your own people?"

"So, you can also read our language, huh?"

"I'm not from here, that was actually my mother tongue. Now hurry up with the story." He pressured.

"Calm down fella." She slightly raised her arms. "I'll tell you, but give me time. But to answer one question, I only flew with the ship because I stole it before. You know, Venom is not that friendly to us and so I had to steal one of their prototypes to find out what they were up to… GOD DAMIT!" She suddenly stood up, because she remembered something very important.

John had to raise his eyebrows again. "What's wrong now?"

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Now she kicked the bed so that it also toppled down. "I totally forgot about that. Fuck!" She came closer to John so that she almost tackled him down and grasped him at his upper arms seriously. "I need my ship! I have to go back! Now!"

John was a bit surprised and stepped back "First tell me what's wrong, or else I can't help you!"

"Venom has planned a trap for one of our best teams and if they aren't warned, they're done for, the rest of Lylat will be too."

"Lylat! The father of someone I know comes from there. She won't be happy about this news…. But there is only one problem. Your ship was totally wrecked, when we got you out of there, that thing surely wouldn't fly anymore." He explained to her.

"That doesn't matter, I just need it as a transmitter and the system that helps is connected with the core of the ship. As long as the core is alright, I can send an emergency signal so that my team can pick me up."

"Fine, but first, I will tell the doctors to give you a translator like I have so that you can at least talk to them. Don't ask me how it works, I don't know it myself." John added when he saw that she raised a finger and opened her mouth. The hand sunk again. John knocked against the door and activated the gadget again and told the nurse that she could come in. The nurse opened the door and stepped in, but didn't want to go near the young feline. "Don't worry; she said that she would cooperate." Katt looked a bit confused at John, because she had no idea, what he had just said.

The nurse went to her and without any struggling, Katt let her press the translator shortly under her temple, "Ouch! Hey, you didn't say that it would hurt!" She threw a huffy look at John.

"Good, it works." The nurse said.

"Nurse, could you get me a bowl of water, a towel and a sponge?" John asked which she just nodded and left the room again.

"For what do you need water, a towel, and a sponge?" Katt asked him confused.

"I don't need that, but your tail does." He pointed at the thin, black furry stripe that was swinging behind her.

She looked at it again "Oh." She had to laugh a bit. "I totally forgot about that, thanks."

Shortly after that the nurse came in with everything John wanted her to bring.

"Excuse me nurse, do you know, where captain Wolferos is right now? He can talk to our guest now, when he wants to." He said while Katt was listening, but more concentrating on cleaning her tail.

"Right now he is supporting the recue party and he won't be back for awhile." She said with a soft, but slightly nervous voice.

"Hey, what the hell? I'm not even awake and I'm already dated with some stranger?" She asked slightly humorous, while she stopped her cleaning.

"Don't worry, he will just ask you the same questions as I did."

"Excuse me nurse, on more thing." John asked the nurse, when she was just about to leave the room.

"Yes?" She asked while turning around again. "Do you know something new about the incidents? Do you know what caused those pain attacks?"

"No, I'm sorry. The only thing that we know is that all victims were highly gifted in telepathy and that's why they were so sensitive against that pain everyone felt." John nodded.

"Thanks nurse."

The nurse bowed and left the room. John saw that Katt had finished the cleaning of her tail and it now was as pink as the rest of her body.

"Hey um… Katt, right? I'm not allowed to let you walk alone through the building, but would you please come with me into the next room? A friend is sleeping there and I would like to take care of her as long she is asleep."

Katt became a bit shy. "Yeah uhm… okay." They left the room and went to Beseril and the others.

"How is she?" He asked after Beseril opened the door.

"Unchanged, she's sleeping pleasantly well, but is making a quiet noise here and there, but that's all." His gaze fell on Katt. "Oh, hello young lady and, slept well?"

"Don't worry Katt, he is a friend." John said when he saw Katt was still quite shy.

"Katt? A beautiful name. If I'm allowed to introduce myself, I'm Beseril."

"Th-Thanks Mister Beseril."

She now saw the vixen on the bed. "Is this your friend?"

"Yeah." He answered.

"And what are they?" She also saw the three Bafomdads sitting next to Sefilia.

"Those three little guys are our friends as well; Bafomdads. They helped us a lot."

John again sat on the chair next to Sefilia and held her soft blue furred hand. Beseril preferred standing and offered Katt the other chair, which she took thankfully. All the time she stared on the floor, which Beseril noticed, when he again looked at her bright pink fur jealously.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Huh? I-I'm alright!" She answered stuttering.

"Come on, I can see that there is something bothering you. Spit it out!" He said with his typical feminine tone.

"It's just that… well… I'm sorry, but I think it is my fault what happened to her and the others." John as Beseril now just looked at her a bit confused. "The nurse said something about pain they felt from several people. I really don't know how this is even possible, but I think it was me who caused this." A short break stepped in. "John, I told you that I intercepted a convoy with weapons in the atmosphere of the planet."

Beseril didn't have any idea what she was talking about and just looked at John who nodded in agreement.

"There were a lot of them, so I just concentrated myself on their radio, engines, and stabilizer so that they would simply burn up in the atmosphere." Katt again stopped and John saw how she started to claw the chair at the thought of what she had done.

"But there weren't only weapons on the ship." John reasoned.

"I should have just destroyed them when I had the chance." She said growing sadder the more she spoke. "And then I wasn't even able to get all of them… I'm sorry that I hurt so many of your people." She said while her ears where lowering.

Beseril put his hand on her shoulder and she had already expected the worse, but then she was suddenly lifted out of the chair and he hugged her thankfully.

"B-But why are you doing this? I'm the reason that so many of you died!" Katt gapped.

"That may be true, but by destroying those transporters you saved the lives of many more people on this planet." John answered for Beseril, who was not able to talk.

"Really?" Her ears where rising up again.

"I can't speak for everyone, but Beseril seems to be thankful." John said after Beseril let her out of his grasp.

"But only if you tell me how you got your fur shimmering so wonderfully."

There was a whimpering from behind John and the Bafomdads looked very curious. "She's awake!" John exclaimed happily.

Sefilia's fox ears where twitching slightly and her fur was ruffling up a bit. Then she started to moan and finally she opened her eyes again. The first thing she saw was the happy face of John, who was still holding her hand and the Bafomdads, which were rubbing their cheeks against the vixen's face.

"What happened?" She asked completely worn out.

When she wanted to sit up, she was softly pushed down by John again. "You should rest now for awhile. You have to gather your strength. You had one of those pain attacks again. I was so worried that I broke the door open and called for help. A doctor came in and gave you a strong sedative. You had me so worried." Before he was able to say anything more he got interrupted by Beseril's throat clearing. He had already forgotten that they had a guest.

"Ah, hello Beseril, I'm sorry that you had to wait that long." She slightly turned her head to get a better look at him.

"No problem darling. At least you are well again."

Shortly after, she had spotted Beseril she also saw Katt. " I see is our guest awake, how is she?" Sefilia asked.

"I'm alright thanks. You really have helped me a lot and yes, I already got one of those talking gadgets." She answered before John was even able to open his mouth.

"I'm happy to have helped." She answered in relief.

"My name is Katt Monroe, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you Katt. I'm Sefilia Wolferos; you can just call me Sefilia."

Katt nodded. "I will and you can call me Katt if you want. Miss Monroe always sounds so old." Sefilia giggled a bit and closed her eyes.

"So that's where it got off to." Katt said as she had spotted the blaster on the shelve with John's helm and sword. "I thought that I had lost it or something."

"Sorry I had no way of knowing your intentions, so I took it."

"No problem, I would have probably done the same." She said while she took the blaster in her hands and checked it that everything was alright with the futuristic storm rifle. The feline sighed, it wasn't much but she couldn't help but look on the bright side. "Well, at least I didn't drop with Venomian ships from the sky."

"Venom?" The blue vixen asked. John had forgotten that Sefilia was not in the loop and hesitated to fill her in. He wanted her to get rest before she was confronted with the latest news. "What news John?" She asked when she read his mind much to his disdain. "Tell me." Sefilia said curiously.

"I think Katt should tell you, because I still don't understand it." John said as he mentally hit himself for forgetting Sefilia's abilities.

So Katt told Sefilia and the others her story, like she did before with John, but this time she added some major facts and started in her past. Katt's home world was called Zoness; it was a tropical planet with a lot of oceans, sunny beaches, and wonderful islands. She left her planet awhile ago because it was too boring there and because she was looking for thrilling adventure. She ran away when her parents were asleep, but left them a letter so that they knew that she was alright.

She traveled to a planet called Corneria, the home world of Sefilia's father. There she met people who had the same wish for an exciting life she had dreamed of. One of those guys was a blue, male cat called Charley and the two rough guys Jo, a crocodile, and a mouse called Fetcher. They called themselves the Hot Rodders.

She also met a blue falcon about her age. Despite his arrogance and his slightly rough attitude, she couldn't help but like him. His name was Falco Lombardi. He was a good pilot, but refused her offer of joining them, he instead joined the Cornerian flight academy with his buddy. She also mentioned the team who was in trouble, 'Star Fox' and it was led by Falco's friend's father. They were a mercenary team, who fought for money, but always where on the morally just side. After she had ended her story, Beseril was a bit perplexed.

"And how did you manage to crash?"

Katt scratched the back of her head. "Well I wasn't able to shoot down all of the transporters. The last one was able to launch an anti-aircraft missile, which hit me in the end."

"So one went through..." John mumbled. "Do you know what the transporter had onboard?"

Katt shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't know. Anything could have been inside. Guns, tanks, bombs, troops, or even more fighters, I really don't know."

"Either way, it can't mean anything good... I should tell the king as soon as possible that he should ready his troops."

"It's not going to be that easy." Sefilia said with a still slightly weakened voice.

"Why?" Katt and John said in unison.

"Only important people are allowed to meet the king and the queen in person without tedious paperwork." Beseril answered for her.

"Oh great…" John scowled and rubbed his temples. "And the only 'important' person is Sabre, right?"

Sefilia nodded slightly. "You got it."

"Great…" The sarcasm in the young man's voice was unmistakable. "We couldn't have any more luck, huh?"

Katt cleaned her throat. "Who is this Sabre, if I'm allowed to ask?"

"He was planned to be your 'date'…" John answered.

"And what is so bad about him?" She asked, ignoring the slightly surprised faces by Sefilia and Beseril when they had heard the word 'date'.

"Let's just say that he did some serious shit in the past, and is not on my favorite peoples list, neither I am not on his."

"I think he is pretty cute." Beseril commented and then got a stern gaze from John and Sefilia.

"He is my brother." Sefilia added. "And he let me down, when I needed him most."

"That's really shit." Katt commented.

"Well, he'll probably be nicer to you than to me." John pointed out.

"Why do you think so?" Beseril asked slightly confused.

"For one, I'm living at his sisters place, for two, Katt does at least look a bit like a Cerinian and not like some freaky alien from another universe."

"What do you mean by that?" Katt asked.

John smirked. "The first time they saw you, they didn't want to carry you around and so I had to."

"And that's good?" Katt asked and raised her eyebrows.

"Better than attacking you, with swords like when they first saw me." The human chuckled.

Katt had to nod in agreement. "That's true. And how did you manage to persuade them from executing you?"

John shook his head. "I didn't."

"I did." Threw Sefilia in. "I learned that if you get to know him better then well…" Instead of finishing her sentence she turned red.

There was a slight pause but it was long enough for Katt to target and identify that blush. "Aha… I see what's going on here." A wide grin went across the feline's face.

'Damn it…' John just thought sourly.

"You won't believe me if I say we're just friends, huh?" John asked, slightly annoyed because he knew the answer.

"Nope."

"Then we have to ask you to tell nobody on Cerinia about us." Sefilia now said with a stronger voice. "Nobody else except Beseril and a kid know about us. We're afraid they would…" Sefilia didn't know how she should explain their situation without letting it sound like a tragedy waiting to happen. "We are afraid they would…"

John instead finished for her. "That they would think I just want to abuse Sefilia, abhor our relationship because I'm different, and then they throw me into prison." Sefilia told him with her look that she wasn't pleased with this answer, but she knew that he was right.

"Do you really think that they would react like that?" Katt asked.

"Look at her, look at me. My people would probably think the same way." John answered her.

Katt just shrugged her shoulders. "So what? There are so many species in Lylat that a couple like you would not be very outstanding." A slight happy smile decorated Sefilia's face.

"One day we should visit my second home world."

"No problem, I can take you with me when-" Katt said but was interrupted.

"Thanks, but for now we have to decline your offer. We have to take care of things here first before we can leave."

Sefilia nodded in agreement. "Yeah." And looked for a short moment to John. The fox mentally hinted at John until he understood. He bowed down and kissed her soft, slightly pink lips. It was a nice feeling to show your feelings to somebody in front of people without thinking of the consequences.

Finally the Bafomdads became curious enough of the new face and inched up slowly to Katt. She saw how the three little animals where coming closer to her and she bowed down to take a better look at the little fluff-balls as well.

They became frightened and hid behind Beseril. "You don't have to be afraid of her, she's alright." He said and stepped aside.

Katt smiled at the little ones and again they came closer. It didn't take long until they pressed their wet noses against Katt's face and made Katt giggle.

They knew somehow that she was a good person and cuddled themselves against her leg to become friends with her. "That's a good sign, isn't it?"

"Well they do that when they are hungry as well, and strange to say, sometimes people disappear after they had cuddled their legs like that." John chuckled but was taken serious.

"But now we have to think, how we can tell the king the bad news!" Sefilia said, to get back to the more important topic. "Does anyone have a plan?"

"Well…" Katt started, "I could try to make Sabre do it for us with a bit of convincing." She said with a tempting smile.

"That won't work, Sabre only lives for the military, he will never have a girlfriend." Sefilia sighed.

"Bummer…" Her eyes were hanging down a bit. "It would be worth the try."

John had to laugh a bit. "What's so funny?" Katt asked huffy.

"How old are you anyways, thinking about such things?"

The feline's fur ruffled and she hissed. "I'm almost sixteen! Something like that is common where I come from!"

"That you are only around guys to enjoy their benefits and you would do even anything for those?"

"No! Yes, we may abuse them a bit, but I won't go further than a kiss… unless he's a good looker."

Sefilia now had to interfere. "And what about that Falco? "

Katt crossed her arms and looked away, offended. "Bah! That's none of your business!"

John made a quick glance to the vixen and she responded with a wink. He chuckled as a triumphant grin spread across his face while he looked back to Katt.

"Why are you grinning like that, stupid?" The pink cat asked after she again looked at them.

"Ah nothing." John said as Beseril and Sefilia started to giggle.

She toke a moment until she put the pieces of the puzzle together. "Didn't you say that your friend can read minds?"

"Yes." John sniggered.

"And you are that friend?" She asked Sefilia.

"Yes." She was only just able to say without bursting in laughter. Katt thought about that for a few seconds.

"ARGH! Fuck you guys!" Katt said angrily and made everyone except herself laugh excessively.

They needed awhile until they calmed down again. "Don't worry, we won't tell anybody." Sefilia giggled while she wiped away another tear from laughing so hard.

"Who would care about that? We're not in the Lylat, remember?" Beseril added.

"Tell me Sefilia." John started again now that their laugh was over.

"Yes?"

"Isn't there a way for you to block or ignore those thoughts you hear every now and then?"

"There is a way." Beseril said, pushing himself into the conversation again. "But it's an exhausting and energy-sapping exercise, and she isn't allowed to do it in her circumstance." , he said.

"What does that mean, 'in her circumstance'? I'm fine-" Sefilia's objection was shortened by a painful reassertion of pain, causing her to moan and then hold her temple.

"Yeah, we can see that." Beseril countered while John took care of her and placed her head on the pillow again.

"I guess you don't have to do that in the coming days. Those were the last transports for sure. There won't be any crashes again soon." Katt commented while Sefilia was lying in bed again.

Sefilia just wanted to get up and leave when John interrupted her. "She is right. Recover your strength, then we can take care of what comes next, kay?" He cooed and she nodded slightly.

"Kay."

"And what do we do now?" Beseril asked after awhile when they had calmed down again.

"What do you mean?" Sefilia asked slightly confused.

"Sabre won't be coming in the next few hours and Katt still doesn't have a place where she can sleep." Beseril pointed out.

"How about she stays at your place as long as she can't leave?" Sefilia suggested.

"What!" Katt exclaimed, but before the cat could protest anymore she was dragged aside by John. "Hey!" Was the only thing she could say, before she got hushed by John.

"You don't have to worry." He silently whispered into her ear. "He isn't that interested in women, if you catch my drift." She shook her head "He leans the other way." She took a quick gaze at him when he was talking to Sefilia, and nodded then understanding.

"And, what do you say?" Beseril asked her with shining eyes.

"S-Sure." Beseril was clapping his hands in happiness.

"That will be so wonderful! We could stay up longer, we could varnish each other's nails and tell each other embarrassing secrets."

Katt again looked at John, who just gave her a 'Told ya.' gaze and she answered it with a pleased smile.

"How do you feel now Sefilia?" John asked, after they had solved this problem as well.

"I'm starting to feel better… I would like to go home to rest there though." She made a short yawn and slowly stood up. John quickly moved to her side to help sustain her.

They just came out of the hospital when they saw that Siren in her full armor was waiting for them. "Finally, it took you almost too long kid." She saw that John was helping Sefilia.

"Yeah, sorry Siren, but I couldn't leave my host alone." Siren nodded.

Then she turned over to Katt. "And I see you are awake too. I hope you are alright?" Before she was able to answer John stepped in.

"Alright may be a bit of an understatement. She devastated the whole room we put her in!"

Katt looked at him with an angry glare and answered then for herself. "First of all, I had no idea who you people were, second I didn't understand you."

Siren smiled. "Don't worry about that. I often break stuff too, even if it's just for fun. And him too if he would come to training once." She growled playfully and pointed at John who turned red.

"So what's up Siren? Do you have the ship?" John asked.

"That's actually why I'm here.… The ship is gone." Siren admitted.

"My ship is gone!" Katt exclaimed. "Where is it?"

"We assume the Sharpclaw got it before us." The blue vixen answered. "We checked around the crash site and we are very sure from the evidence we found that it was them."

Katt was a bit confused. "Sharpclaw?"

"They're ugly, aggressive, and pretty big lizards, who grab what they can." John quickly explained with the shortest description, but still probably the most accurate description.

"Well if we know it was them then let's go get it back!" Katt said, confident of victory.

"If only it was that easy." Sefilia commented.

"Unfortunately they bring everything they pillage to their fortress. It's airtight and you can only get in there from the air, but we don't have any flying vehicles." Beseril said.

"It's a bummer that Kyte isn't here; we just could burn them down like the last time." John grunted. Katt again looked at him with a confused look. "I'll explain everything later." He promised.

"First we have to come up with a good plan before we even try to get close to them." Siren said once again leading the conversation. "Let's be honest here. We don't have any idea how to infiltrate something like the Sharpclaw fortress and steal a whole ship. So as far as I'm concerned we're not going anywhere near that fortress."

She was just about to go, when she got stopped by John. "Wait, we gotta have to tell the king something very important." She turned around again and listened. "The Sharpclaw may have new weapons."

"How do you know that?" Siren asked a bit worried.

"I told them. My mission was to destroy a transport-convoy from Venom, but one got through and that's the reason why I am even here." Katt explained fast.

Siren nodded understanding. "I'll tell the king as soon as possible." She bowed down in thanks and ran into the direction of the palace.

Before she was out of hearing range, she shouted something back. "Before I forget, there will be a training lesson the day after tomorrow. It's for the new recruits, so you better be there Johnny boy."

"Well, I guess this is it for today." John said, when Siren was out of sight.

"Yeah, my house is the other way down the street and we sure don't want to interrupt the two of you." Beseril winked at him.

"Sefilia needs to rest, not be up half the night." John countered. "So, see you tomorrow then." John waved with his free hand goodbye and helped Sefilia on her way back home.

When they had closed the door behind themselves, John decided to make it more comfortable for Sefilia. "Hey!" She giggled a bit, when John had swept her up in his arms, like a husband does to his wife.

"I should practice for the future, don't you think?"

Sefilia kept on giggling. "Aww, you... " And slapped him at his shoulder playful.

He carried her into her room and laid her on her bed, where she did not let him go until he gave her a kiss. "I'll be right back with some tea and something for you to eat." He said softly after their lips had parted away again. "But first, I have to get rid of this armor."

"Fine." She yawned and John took the blanket and covered her up to her hips. The Bafomdads stayed at her side and cuddled themselves up to her.

First he went into the kitchen and put on a cup of tea. In the past Sefilia made tea often so he automatically knew where he could find everything.

After he had filled the kettle with water and put it on the heater he adjusted the right temperature so that the water was able to boil slowly and the tea was able to develop the right aroma and flavor.

While he was waiting he went into his room and stripped of the armor. It was a great feeling to get out of the armor after two days, even though it wasn't that uncomfortable. He put the parts aside at the wall and the ground, and went back to the kitchen.

In the vixen's room, the blue fox waited and rested while stroking the Bafomdads. She thought out loud but also spoke to her little friends.

"Today, there was a strange feeling. Between all that pain was something different … laughter … who could be so happy at a moment like this? That can't be good." The blue vixen said half to herself, half to the Bafomdads, who laid in her bed and were almost asleep.

"And that Katt… you really can see that she isn't from here, what with her clothes and her behavior…. But somehow it was funny. I hope that all Lylatians are in such as pleasant as her. But I'm worried about that transporter and what it might mean for Cerinia; I hope the king will listen to us."

Back in the kitchen, John quickly noticed when he stepped on the cold tiles of the kitchen that he had forgotten his shoes in the weapon chamber. He had to leave a mental note to remember to get them back tomorrow. He didn't want to walk around with those armored shoes all the time. He was afraid that he would feel like canned fruit soon.

The tea water was boiling now and he gushed it into another kettle with a filter containing the leaves and fruits of the tea and let the aroma spread before he went up to Sefilia. While he was waiting for that, he was looking for some fruits which to give to Sefilia and finally found some hidden on a shelf where the Bafomdads weren't able to reach them. Meanwhile, the tea was done and he put everything on a plate and brought it up to the blue angel that was waiting for him.

He opened the door quietly, because he wasn't sure if she was asleep or not. "Come in, I'm still awake. But be quiet." Sefilia whispered so not to wake the sleeping Bafomdads.

He pushed the door halfway open before slinking inside and then he put the plate on the bed table at the side of the bed. He poured some of the tea in a cup and made sure that it wasn't too hot for her.

"Thanks." Was the only thing she said after she had turned red.

"It still might be a bit hot." John warned.

"It's fine."

A moment had passed when John had suddenly remembered the fruits. "Ahh uhm, I brought you some fruits, in case you're hungry." He noticed her redness and smiled. "There's no reason to be embarrassed. Here it's just the two of us… plus three.", he added a bit humorous and pointed at the sleeping trio.

He reached her a bowl where he had put the fruits into and let her choose. She took some kind of pear and took a bite of it.

Again some moments passed, John just watched Sefilia eating and got hungry himself. He took something out of the bowl because Sefilia didn't appear all that hungry. He soon became thirsty and because she didn't want him to leave, Sefilia offered her cup him to share it.

The bowl was soon empty and the kettle as well. John noticed the excessive yawning coming from the lovely vixen and figured that it was about time that she went to sleep. He took the dishes in hand and was just about to go.

"John?" She said with her tired and now once again weak voice.

"Yes?" He asked turning around.

"Could you please promise me something?"

"Whatever you want." John smiled.

"Promise me please… that you won't allow anyone to tear us apart and that you'll always be with me." She yawned and her eyes were slowly closing

"I won't let anything like that happen and I will protect you, forever. I promise" He swore as he walked up to the vixen.

"Thank you." Sefilia sighed and finished with a kiss.

* * *

_**Author notes:**_

_**So another chapter done, huh ;)?**_

_**Translated with the help of **_**XxSanitariumxX**

_**Talking about him ... As he already announced he will leave us all alone in a few weeks D: and I could need someone, who could do his beta-reading as long, as he is gone.**_

_**I know it won't be tomorrow, but I wanted to have a plan and not sit there one day and just think ' ... Shit ...'.**_

_**Well Starfox 64 3D came out a while ago and I must say that I won't buy the pal version, because somehow all German voice actors ( yes, oh my god they really did it ) sound sooo fucked up.**_

_**Anyways, have a good time and see ya around.**_


	16. The New Recruits

**Chapter 16**

**The New Recruits**

The next day John took care of making breakfast so that Sefilia could rest. She was already awake when John entered her room with the tray and his friends.

"Good morning Sefilia. I brought you some breakfast."

Sefilia yawned a bit. "Thanks John, but you didn't have to go to all this trouble; I can take care of myself." She said with a tired voice and was just about to stand up.

John shook his head, put the tray on the bed table and pushed her softly back onto the bed. "Today you will stay in your bed. It's about time that I return the favor and today _I _will take care of you." He kissed her on her forehead. "And no arguing." He added strictly but friendly.

Sefilia smiled happily and enjoyed her breakfast. 'It's nice to have a friend like John.' She thought while she was eating.

While she was eating John stayed with her and approved of the breakfast he had made. The Bafomdads got a bowl full of fruits, which they charged at once when it left John's hand.

After the meal she thanked him by kissing him softly on his lips, which was accepted gladly and he begged for more thankfulness.

After a while, once they had offered each other's thank several times, John suggested something. "What do you think if I invite Katt and Beseril? They surely want to know how you are."

'Plus, we have watch out that we don't go too far.' John added in his thoughts whereon Sefilia turned a bit red again. "Sorry, I just remembered the time when I had a broken leg and we were in your kitchen." He kissed her again, but this time on her cheek.

"Alright John, it'd be good to see them and find out what they wound up doing last night." Sefilia replied and laid back in her bed.

He got up and made her some tea again but he left and let the Bafomdads at her side, so that she wasn't that alone.  
When he had arrived at Beseril's shop, he saw he was sitting alone at a table, with a can of tea and a cup and a notebook, which he was drawing on. He stood up happily when he had heard the ring of the doorbell and saw that John was standing outside and waiting. He hugged as a greeting whereon John answered him with a slight patting on his back.

John looked around, some things where missing, like the display dummy, dresses, clothes and…

"Where's Katt?"

"She said she wanted to look around town and explore the environment a bit. She really is very curious. But she knows where she has to stop by." Beseril offered John a chair and a cup of tea, while they were waiting for Katt.

"What are you drawing?" John asked, while he was emptying his second cup. Beseril giggled a bit.

"Good that you are asking. I have wondered how long you wanted me to wait." He turned his notebook around and held it up to John's face. "Those are the first concepts of my new collection. But still I'm somehow not pleased with them..."

John saw some very abstract piece of clothing. He couldn't even say if it was for a man or a woman. "It… doesn't look that bad." He decided to say in the end.

Beseril took the notebook back and drew some lines on it before he ripped the paper and tossed it over his shoulder into a corner with even more failed concepts. Eventually the kettle of tea was empty. John put his cup on its coaster on the table and thanked Beseril for the tea. "I'm sorry that I have to go again, but Sefilia is alone with just our three friends and I can tell you, when they get bored there will be more than a bit trouble."

"I know that just too well." Beseril said and sighed femininely. John tried to forget the picture that just had appeared in his head. John opened the door, when suddenly a huddle of packets was raining down on him and he became buried. When he fought himself out of it, he saw that Katt was lying on him. She turned a bit red, when she noticed her current pose.

"Hey kids, not on the ground, for what do we have beds?" Beseril said, with a big grin on his face.

The mess was cleaned as fast as it had come and Katt put the packets in the back of the storage room. "How did you get all that stuff anyway?" John asked curious, when he just helped to make a proper and stable pile of presents.

"I tell you later, Sefilia will be interested too." She explained as she put on a sneaky smile before they set out back to Sefilia's house.

There was a knock at Sefilia's room door. "Come in!" John, Katt and Beseril entered the room and just at that moment they got greeted by a clutter of talking and the squeaking of the Bafomdads.

"And how are you today darling?" Beseril asked when he pulled a chair to her bed.

"Thanks, I'm much better today… thanks to John." She said, while blushing a bit.

"Now tell us Katt!" John suddenly said.

"About the packets?"

"What packets?" Sefilia said a bit surprised.

"That's a pretty funny story. You know, I have walked through the streets for awhile to look around a bit at the buildings and stuff." The others answered her with an understanding nodding here and then. "I had just reached the school, when suddenly some boys came to me. They were about as old as I am and they stood in a row and every one of them had a present, which they handed me." Beseril and Sefilia suddenly looked at each other a little shocked.

"After they gave me the packets they just walked away with bright red faces and their tails were all going nuts. Some also said something but they were too quiet so I didn't understand them." Sefilia and Beseril suddenly burst into laughter.

The other two plus the Bafomdads just looked at them questioningly.

"You don't know what that was, do you?" Beseril asked while breathing heavy.

"Well I guess they wanted to impress me or something like that." She shrugged.

Beseril again started to laugh and Sefilia took over the talking part. "Were all of the packets white, with a blue symbol on it?"

"Possibly, why?"

Sefilia was barely able to suppress her laughter again.

"When a Cerinian boy gives a present like that to a girl, he asks her, if she wants to marry him when they are allowed to." Now John understood as well and started to laugh too.

But Katt turned even redder from the shock of realizing all her soon-to-be husbands.

"WHAT!"

Despite his laughter Beseril found a way to talk even under that lack of oxygen. "Don't worry, the fact you took a present doesn't mean that you will marry them… it's more like a way to say that you'll 'sleep on it'."

John who was still laughing strongly was now hammering on his lap. "I can't believe it! You are here for a day or so, and you are marrying the whole city!"

"Shut up! That's not funny!" She said barring her teeth and hitting him hard on the shoulder, but that made him laugh even louder.

"As long as your Falco won't find out, you can stay calm." He giggled before laughing all out.

Katt wanted to go for his throat, but she was stopped by Beseril.  
After they all had calmed down, Katt took the chance to ask John about his past and what he meant about toasting his enemies the evening before. She was slightly impressed what he told her, while they were again enjoying a warm cup of tea. She also had lots of compassion about the death of his family and the disappearance of his friend.

"I would have gone too if I had a bunch of idiots around me." She commented when he had reached the point why he even got the idea to go to Cerinia. Katt really wanted to hear of that rebellious music, but was rather disappointed when he told her that it was currently out of energy and that's why it was now rather useless….

The next morning went on pretty calm. The Bafomdads where energized as always and caused some trouble, nothing major and not enough to become a big nuisance. Sefilia was alright again and had completely recovered from the exertions of the past few days. They were also visited by Katt and Beseril again and as it appeared, they had a great evening and became the best of friends.

Beseril told them how she had inspired him for new clothes designs. He just wanted to get over that dress stuff and create more things for free time activities and hobbies, in which he got some tips from Katt on comfort and design.

Some time had passed until Sefilia looked at the clock. "John, it's about time, they want to start soon." John looked at the clock himself.

"Oh, you're right. I'll go upstairs and get dressed."

He went up into his room. First it was just a guest room, but now that she wanted him to stay forever, it became his room. He put on the armor that leaned at the side of the wall piece by piece and went back down to the others.

"You don't look that bad in that thing, John. No wonder Sefilia likes ya." Katt commented with a slight whistle.

Sefilia got a bit embarrassed about that. "Don't forget Katt." John warned her. "Don't let anything slip out in public."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll watch my mouth." Katt now turned to Sefilia, who had turned from red into her normal blue again. "Is there any audience in that strange introductory rite?"

"Yes, there are always mothers and friends to cheer on their relatives."

"Hmpf. Great, so there are people, everywhere." John said grumbled.

"Just imagine they aren't there, that should work." Sefilia cooed, trying to cheer the nervous human. "One more thing John."

"Yeah?"

"Sabre will be there. But please don't do something wrong, for my sake." She said worried and made her puppy eyes.

"Don't worry." He smiled a bit. "I'll get him, when there isn't an army between the both of us."

"I didn't mean that." She came closer and whispered into his ear. "Just let it be... please." She kissed him slightly on his cheek. He nodded and answered her the same way.

"Aren't they cute?" Katt said totally delighted.

And as she had said, the practice field was totally surrounded by people and in the middle stood the young, new soldiers waiting for their leader and his leading words. Adaril and his mother were there as well and Sefilia, the Bafomdads and the rest of them went to them while John went into the middle.

Adaril's mum eyeballed Katt when she had spotted her and then shook her hand smiling. "You are one of John's friends? I am Salmakia, the mother of Adaril." Katt shook her hand friendlily.

"I am Katt. And yes, we just met." Katt said then turned to the young kit next to the vixen. "So, then you have to be Adaril." Adaril was hiding behind his mother and looked with one eye from his hiding place; he was a bit shy.

"Come one Adaril, you heard her. She is one of John's friends!" Salmakia cooed and she pushed him in front of her.

Adaril turned a bit red. "H-Hello." He reached out his hand hesitating. Katt smiled and shook his tiny hand as well. Now the little, blue fox had lightened up bright red and because nobody really knew what was going on they just laughed. Adaril didn't have a family member who was going to be a soldier, but he still showed up because of John.

He let Sefilia's words go through his head one last time. Despite all those self distracting thoughts, he still felt himself watched by hundreds of people and then he just tried to ignore those feelings.

He took a short look at the others who stood beside him. Like he, they all wore 'dead armor', but no one had a weapon yet, which dragged several gazes over to John. He also noticed that many of them were young and that he was one of the oldest recruits.

There was a lot of talking and some of the others were visibly nervous. John appeared to be the only one who could hold himself together with all his nervousness. But still, every movement and conversation stopped when Sabre came out of the main building.

The people stepped aside and the recruits made a row.

Sabre walked passed everyone and looked at them. No one dared to look into his eyes and they all looked away or on the ground. On one hand because they respected him on the other hand some of them where afraid of him.

Only one didn't look away and that only one was John. To John it seemed like Sabre looked at him in blind rage only in that moment he walked passed John.

After he had made it to the end of the row he stepped back and went into the front of the group. "Be greeted brave recruits." He started with his commanding voice. "Today your training as soldiers officially starts. You are here to protect your home, family, and friends against all enemies. It is not an easy way, the training is hard and the fights are even more dangerous. I am proud to see so many courageous souls, who are ready to give their lives for their home. You still can think about it. As you know, no one makes you do this, you are here of your own will and you can leave of your own will as well." Sabre paused a moment and waited for any negative reactions by the others, but none of them moved an inch and he went on. "Good. Now we start with the traditional division of the weapons."

John noticed the big imposing symbol on Sabre's chest armor. Two black parallel lines went across his silver-blue armor. Here and there was a circle which insides had the same color as the armor.

Two older soldiers, one of them was Siren, pushed two racks of weapons in the area. One on each of Sabre's sides. One of them held swords and the other one silver staffs. Both of them stopped beside their rack.

"Now I will read your names out, then you will come to the front and choose a sword and a staff. But choose wisely, because every weapon has its character and so it will choose its owner."

Sabre drew a list and read the names of the recruits out, but the list didn't seem to follow a special pattern. "Allen Boldwitz." One of the younger recruits made a step forward and positioned himself in front of Sabre.

He shivered nervously, but Sabre ignored that and asked him to choose his weapon out of the many.

Allen nodded, hesitated, and went to the swords. He walked past them and looked at every single one very closely until he gripped one of them and went back to Sabre. When he touched the sword something happened that John didn't expect. He always thought that this would happen in a different way. The sword started to glow in a blue light and symbols appeared on its sheath and the blade. John noticed how the eyes of the boy widened happily and smiled a bit.

Allen showed Sabre the sword, a tradition Sefilia had probably forgotten to mention. Then Sabre nodded and the boy went to the staffs and looked at them as he did with the swords. Again he looked first at all of them and then took one of the many and again showed it Sabre.

As before the weapon glowed and again blue lines appeared which burned themselves into the staff.

"Sabrina Anester." A girl came out the line, barely older than the boy before, and did the same as the boy before.

Everything went on without any trouble, one after the other went to the front, until. "Ronald Saintis."

It appeared that he was the most nervous person of all of them. He wasn't that hesitating than the other, because he grabbed the first sword he liked. But when he wanted to go back to Sabre he stumbled on a small stone and fell on the ground. There was a slight laughter of the row of the recruits, even from both sides of John.

One after the other went to the front, but something was wrong, there was an extremely small chance that John's name stood at the bottom of the page or that Sabre had made the list and that he just put him at the bottom of the list, because his registration was actually too late.

But even after he had reached the bottom of the page he suddenly stopped the rite. He waited a moment and John riddled about what would come next.

He drew breath again and his eyes went to the list again. "John O'Neil."

John already owned a sword, but something told him that it was among the ones which were left. He tried to remember what Sabre said a while ago while he was standing in front of him and waited for any sign to go. Finally Sabre made a small hand movement and John went to the swords. He knew he was now the master of his sword so he closed his eyes and concentrated his thought on it.

"Give me a sign." He whispered so quiet, not even Sabre was able to hear him. John wasn't sure if he just imagined it, but was one of the swords really glowing a bit, or was it just the sun?

'That has to be it.' He thought while he went closer.

The closer he came the clearer it was and the brighter it glowed. He grabbed the sword at his hilt and went back to Sabre to show it him. Again their gazes met and again he appeared to be filled with hate at John. It was such a look that John felt like he would go at his throat any moment now.

It took him longer to look at the sword, but finally he nodded and John went to the staffs besides Siren. She winked at him out of the corner of her eye, which he answered with a smile. There weren't many staffs left, but still enough to have a good selection. Every single one of those long, silver spears with the two crystals was handmade and that's why everyone had an alloy pattern, which made it unique.

He had a good look at every weapon. He really didn't know which one he should choose, but he also didn't want to slow down the ceremony. Then suddenly he felt a force impulse emitting of one of those staffs. It felt like at that old hot and cold game. The energy he felt led him to a staff which was more at the outside of the rack and almost let alone.

He felt how the power was streaming out of it. John smiled as he clearly knew which one he should take, so he grabbed that single staff and had a short look at it. As he had already expected, no lines had appeared on its outsides and so a slight mumbling started again.

After a short moment he went back to Sabre and showed him his chosen weapon.

This time he didn't look at John, just at the weapon and so he gave a fast nod. John went back into the row and Sabre continued his speech.

"The ritual has ended now." He announced and the mumbling went silent again. "Soon you will be able to own your own armor, everyone is getting his or her own, freshly forged in our city."

The people around them started to clap, but the recruits stayed at their positions.

"If you want, you can test your new weapons out and get known to them before we start the training tomorrow." Some of the soldiers, most of the time the younger ones, went out of the row and walked to their families to get heartily greeted and congratulated to their joining in the Cerinian army.

Meanwhile Siren and the other soldier pushed the rest of the weapons back into the main building and locked them away for the next year of soldiers. Sabre walked into the main building as well, without saying anything else and let the recruits alone. The crowd around the recruits had vanished quickly, but some people, for example Adaril, his mum and the rest of John's friends stayed and waited for him and the ones who had stayed.

He went back to his friends. "That's totally cool! Now you're an official soldier!" Adaril greeted happily, to which John smiled.

"Hi Adaril." And patted the kid on the head.

"And, how was it?" Sefilia asked when he stood beside her.

He just shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing special, Sabre just hates me and I don't have a single clue why."

"He is a captain. It is his duty to be like that, to be ready, and to protect our people at any time." Salmakia excused his behavior.

"Don't worry about your marking pattern John." Beseril said trying to lead the conversation elsewhere. "They appear as soon as you get your own marking and they work and listen to you, even without your marking."

"Are you sure about that? " John asked to be sure.

"Following the old history, they say that there were first the weapons and their abilities and then the machine." Salmakia informed them.

John started again. "I would like to stay a bit longer to get used to the staff. You don't have to wait for me."

After that, Adaril and his mother had to go because they had to do several home duties. Beseril had to go as well; he had to take care about his new collection.

"And what do you want with that thing?" Katt asked a bit skeptically.

"You can shoot with these staffs… but to tell the truth, I have no idea how." John admitted bit embarrassed.

"I wanna see that!" Katt said with sarcasm clearly audible and raised her ears slightly.

"Look." Sefilia borrowed John's staff. "Here you can adjust the strength of the shot and here you can fire it." She pointed at a small button and a scale you could touch with your hands and so raise and lower the gauge. "If the gauge is on the lowest level the following shots will knock the target out and won't hurt it. The shot will come out at the claw like end of the staff … And don't forget to unlock the weapon or else it won't work." She also showed him a small switch, she had activated.

John nodded. "Alright, thanks."

He again went back to the others, which were left and just tested their weapons. The biggest part of them were just fooling around with their weapons and had started little spars against each other, which blind sighted the dummies just several feet away from them.

John positioned himself in front of a target and stepped several feet away. He toggled the power of the weapon on the lowest level, just in case. He had no idea how he should hold the staff and tried to remember how it looked when the soldiers in the jungle aimed at him.

He tried to copy their movements but he didn't come along with that pretty well. Then he tried something else. John pushed the end of the staff at his shoulder like a human soldier a sniper rifle. He knew it looked pretty stupid, but after he had fired the first few shots, it worked pretty well.

Some of the others had already tried to handle the staffs, but they were rather unsuccessful and now when they saw that John had something that looked like a good stance they tried that as well. John just shook his head when he realized that they actually tried to copy him. He went to them corrected their stance and how they had to hold the staff.

When they were able to hit the target in some way John sighed a bit and dropped his head.

"It is not the best way." He said and caught the attention of the remaining soldiers. "I guess they'll teach us soon the right way in handling those. That was just an idea; you shouldn't look too far into it." Some of them nodded in agreeing and with that, John went back to his friends.

While he was on his way back to them he reflected on what just happened. He had pushed them around like an old veteran soldier when he kicked slightly against their legs and bettered their stance. He even had to turn around the whole staff of that Ronald guy, which made him laugh a bit.

"Hey, when you have finished all of this, bring your weapons into the chamber." Siren called for them, when she came out of the main building again. John had almost reached his friends and now gave them a hand sign that he will be back soon.

The room was on the ground level at one of the corners of the big entry hall. John was the last one who put his staff and sword in there and closed the door behind himself.

"Interesting technique." Siren was standing behind him and locked the door, with a touch of her hand.

"Interesting yes but it's not very proficient and I'm sure the ones you teach us will be better."

She laughed a bit. "That's true kid." She said with a smile. "But seriously, you got what it takes to be a leader, you know that?"

John shrugged his shoulders. "Never thought about it really. Maybe it's something I got from my dad. He had a similar rank than Sabre."

"What do you know?" She said while her tail was raising a bit. "We still need some personnel. Would you be interested to take care of the new recruits after your in-serve education?" She offered him.

"I think I need to sleep on it." He just said.

"Okay, take your time and get out of here, or else your girl-friend would think that something serious is going on here." She stepped aside and winked at him once again.

John tried to bluff a bit. "Sefilia and I? If you think so." To make his bluff perfect he shrugged with his shoulders, whereon Siren just giggled a bit. She knew something, but John didn't know how much.

Then John remembered something. "Did the king get our message?" Siren shook her head. "I'm sorry, I wasn't able to talk to him yet and Sabre... I mean captain Wolferos doesn't trust her quiet yet. That makes all of this pretty problematic." John nodded and left.

"At least now I know what I have to watch out for." Katt said happily, when John again was with them. "Well done champ." She congratulated him and knocked his shoulder, "You showed those kids how it's done."

Sefilia started to grow a might bit nervous, she was afraid that the military lifestyle would go to John's head and would lead him away from her, like Sabre. John noticed the lowering of her ears and could imagine what was wrong. "Don't worry Sefilia. I gave you my word and I will keep that promise." He touched her encouragingly on her shoulder. More powerful emotions were too dangerous at a place like this, especially when Sabre was around.

"How will this go on?" John asked while they were walking with Katt and the Bafomdads to Beseril's shop.

"As far as I know Sabre will make some hard training sessions to see if there are some people with week wills or second thoughts of joining in the army, and as soon as that is over you can start to relax."

"This Sabre has to be a really tough leader. If he goes too far though, there soon will be no one left who can become a fulltime soldier." Katt got into the talking.

"He just wants that our population is protected by the best and strongest so that nothing can happen to us." Sefilia countered. "Speaking of which." She turned around to John. "Did Siren say anything about our message?"

"Yes, but she didn't have the chance to tell them herself. And Sabre doesn't trust Katt."

"I'll see if I can change his opinion, at least I am his sister and I'm sure that there is the old Sabre somewhere under that cold hull."

Along the way they made a short stop at Sefilia's house so that John could switch in something more comfortable. When they had reached Beseril's shop, the curtains where closed and there was a 'closed' sign at the front door. But that didn't stop them from entering.

Again John smelled the typical scent of Beseril's sweat perfume, but they didn't hear anything.

"It's just us B, you can come out!" Katt called into the room, when Sefilia and John just wanted to leave.

"B?" They asked simultaneously.

"Yesterday evening we had quite a talk and somehow I started to call him 'B'."

"Phew, it's just you. I thought there would be someone who tried to steal my sketches." The blue fox with the strange touch came out of the adjoining room with a broom in his hand.

"Now, please backup to the thing with Beseril's nickname. "Why 'B'?" John asked again when they all had sit down and drank some tea in the glow of a small lamp. The Bafomdads made themselves comfortable on one of the free soft seats and took a nap.

"'B' has several meanings.", Beseril explained. "For example 'buddy'."

"Or 'brother'." Katt added. Sefilia and John where both a bit confused and choked on the tea. Katt blushed a bit. "Well, you know. I am an only child and never had a brother or a sister and yesterday Beseril gave me the feeling I haven't felt in a while... and that was the warmth of a family."

"And what about your friends in Lylat?" Sefilia asked, after she just had calmed down of her choking.

"They are my friends, yes, but more like buddies to get into trouble or to make scuffle with. But I can tell Beseril anything and he listens to me and has told some interesting stories himself." Both Katt and Beseril had to giggle. "Or 'B' for 'Best friends forever.'" Katt added, when she mentioned how much the both of them had in common.

"That would be nice... My best friend Katt, the Supermodel!" Beseril threw his hands around as he would show them a big name of an awesome movie.

Katt laughed. "Don't overplay that!"

"Tell me Katt." Sefilia said after a while.

"Yeah?"

"Are you interested why Adaril turned so red when he met you?" But before she was able to answer John interrupted her.

"Adaril was shy, really!"

Katt giggled. "Now that John said that, well yes!"

"That's not normal for that lively child." John added and smirked again.

"Tell us Sefilia, please." Katt said and folded her hands and prayed to her.

"Okay, but you have to promise not to laugh and not to tease him."

"Promise." They all said at the same time.

"Well ... Our little Adaril has a crush on you Katt!"

"What!" The group shouted out confused, what made the Bafomdads startle.

"It seems he thought that you are so pretty that he fell in love on first sight." Sefilia explained.

"Kids." Beseril sighed. "Falls in love but doesn't want to kiss. Don't worry that's just a phase he's going through, he'll lose interest soon enough."

"Hopefully, or this is gonna be a first class drama when I leave again." The pink cat said and dropped her head and ears.

"So how's your collection going, Beseril?" Sefilia asked after a while.

"It's going to be so wonderful. Katt allowed me to use her body measurements for younger women and right now I have some prototypes in progress." He paused a moment to get some fresh air and took a sip out of his cup. Then he turned silent all of the sudden.

"What's wrong Beseril?" Sefilia asked curiously.

"Well ... I wanted to ask you ... if I ..."

"Don't worry, just spit it out already." John said who had become curious as well.

Beseril swallowed hard. "I wanted to ask you, if I could use your measurements for the other pieces?" He closed his eyes in fear. He just heard two cups put down on the desk and feared the worst.

"Sure, why not?" John shrugged. "That doesn't bother me. And you Sefilia?"

Beseril had opened his eyes again and saw how Sefilia was shaking her head. "Not at all."

Tears were building up in his eyes. "You two are the best." The blue fox exclaimed and hugged the young couple in a rush. John could have sworn that his hand had grabbed his ass, which went away as fast as it had come. He decided to just shrug it off and believed he only imagined it….

It was early morning, when the awfully tired John and his friends were woken up by Sefilia. His weariness was obvious due his long, loud yawn and the stretching of his arms.

"Is it really necessary to wake me up that early?" John complained, while she gave him a good morning kiss on his cheek and smiled.

"Sorry, but Sabre always starts training on time, and you really don't want to be late on your first day, do you?"

He scratched his neck a bit. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Sure I am." She said teasing and giggled.

As the day before, just with less audience, the young recruits waited on the training yard for their captain, this time John wasn't the last one. Finally Sabre joined them and arrived just in time, he tried his best to ignore John.

"First we start with a light warm up training." he started.

Some of the recruits were a bit down because they had hoped that they would train with their weapons and so they dropped their ears.

That 'light' warm up training demanded everything of the new recruits. They trained in their full suited armor. The armor was light, but totally isolated the recruits' body from some fresh air. First they had to run around the yard for a while. First they ran with a steady speed several minutes around the yard. But the speed decreased with time, and some several minutes after, John and a few others were the last ones standing. They may have breathed hard but they still stood. Not like the others, which laid on the ground and couldn't move anymore. Next was muscle training. Pushups and sit-ups.

'They really don't have any differences here.' John thought while Sabre started to count.

Again with the sit-ups he was one of the last ones who collapsed breathing hard. Sabre counted until everyone broke down. But Sabre didn't give them a break. Shortly after they had finished with the sit-ups he continued with pushups and again he counted until everyone laid on the ground.

After the muscle training, he requested them to take off their armor and make groups of two. Then he picked a recruit, who was of course not John. John grouped up with Ronald, who didn't look at him.

The things the new ones wore under their armor were very different. Some wore training suits; others wore something that was very similar to Siren's leather outfit. The kids of rich people it seemed, and then there were people like John and Ronald, who just wore their normal clothes under their armor.

Again, mostly everyone hoped that they could train with their weapons now, but again they were disappointed when they just had to train in unarmed close combat. Sabre ordered a recruit, who proved as a girl, to attack him with a simple pattern, what she did so a bit hesitating.

She made a punch with her right arm, which got blocked by his right hand, grabbed her hand, turned it around so that she had to bend down. He kicked her strongly into her stomach, which pushed the air out of her lungs and let her knee, holding her stomach in pain on the ground.

Everyone now knew that Sabre was a tough leader and he took his job seriously, very seriously, and not even a woman could change anything. After a short breather she stood up again, the pain still readable in her face and waited for more orders.

After that, the rest of the teams were ordered to begin as well. John went into his battle stance, Ronald hesitated a moment, but then went into his as well. It was clearly visible that Ronald hadn't gotten in fights quite often. He quivered and when he attacked his punch was slow and inaccurate.

John blocked the hand, like Sabre did before and turned his hand, until he bent down.

John also added the kick into the direction of his stomach, but stopped an inch before he hit Ronald. Ronald flinched, but wondered to himself why he didn't feel any pain.

Now it was John's turn too attack and he prepared himself. He attacked like Sabre ordered them, even if he knew more effective methods. But even before John was able to reach his target Ronald closed his eyes, he jerked and his cover fell. John stopped his attack.

"What's wrong?" John asked crestfallen. Ronald looked at him confused "Keep your cover up and let your eyes open or else you won't be useful in any fight."

"I'm sorry." He answered with a weal voice. "It's just that I have never fought before and..." He went silent again.

"Is it because of me? Well I guess I can understand since-"

"No it's not that. I'm just afraid I could hurt you if I do something wrong."

John had to laugh a bit. "Why should it be wrong if you hurt me? That's our target, isn't it? Well okay, you shouldn't break my hand, but why do you train if you don't want to hurt anybody?"

"I want to hurt Sharpclaw and not my allies." He said a bit more aggressive, but then went silent again.

John could understand that and nodded a bit. "And how do you kill a Sharpclaw, if you do not train?" To that question, Ronald didn't know an answer and just kept silent. "I can take an ass kicking, don't worry about me, I will tell you when it is enough. And now show me what you got!" John went back to his fighting stance.

Ronald nodded, unerring now, and got into position as well.

'His technique isn't perfect, but that's why we are here, right?' John thought after a while after Ronald started to get after the trick.

They practiced many techniques until Sabre finally came to the long awaited weapon training. Most everybody went to the weapon chamber and clogged its entrance so that nobody even got the chance to get in. John just shook his head and scowled a bit. Only after Siren, who apparently came out of nowhere and whistled loudly, the recruits stopped and sprung to attention and got their weapons one after the other out of the chamber.

First they started with the shooting practice. Everyone tried to find his or her own way to hold the weapon and shot once or twice at the target. After a while, Sabre couldn't stand what he saw and showed everyone how it should be done.

To John's amazement Sabre's technique wasn't that different to his. He gripped the staff under his armpit, took aim and shot. Of course he hit the bull's eye, which was received by some 'Oh`s' and 'Ah`s'.

Next, the recruits shot again and tried to copy his stance. As John did the day before, Sabre went through their rows and corrected them where he had to. After Ronald came back, badly disappointed because he didn't hit the target once, it was John's turn. He patted his shoulder encouragingly and then went to the first mark in front one of the targets and took aim.

Sabre's stance was indeed a bit strange, but he got along with it and pressed the trigger.

But nothing happened. John looked at his staff questioning and fired again. But again nothing happened. Only the red crystal at the tip of the staff began to glow. The glow got stronger steadily and also a humming joined the strange behavior.

"What the... !" Was the only thing John could say before the bright light almost blinded him and the humming was louder than a swarm of bees. He got pushed aside and landed on the ground.

John dropped the staff by surprise and when he looked up he saw his staff flying through the air. When the glow and the height of the staff reached their maximum level, it tore John's staff, in a big red lightning blast, apart and an immense loud explosion echoed through the air.  
The pushback of the explosion almost pushed him down again and dust was flying trough the air.

Remains of the staff were raining down everywhere on the training court. When he looked at his side, there was Siren standing beside him, hardly breathing and looked shocked as she gazed up into the sky. The rest of the recruits dropped their jaws.

John was shocked as well, on the one side, what could have happened, when he held the staff a second longer in his hand and on the other hand, the weapon, where he probably won't get a refund, was totally destroyed.

Sirens gaze slowly went to John and handed him a hand. He took it and she helped him up, "Is everything alright?", she asked still heavily breathing.

"Yes. What the hell was that!" John asked when he looked up into the air at the spot where his staff had just exploded.

"I just saved your life?" She answered offended with the lack of gratitude.

"Oh, yeah, thanks Siren." John said quickly but then returned to the issue of his staff's self destruction. "I mean, is it normal that staffs randomly start exploding?" John asked puzzled.

"It's extremely rare that something like that happens, it's the first time that I have witnessed it. And I went through a lot." She said after she picked up one of the pieces and looked at it.

"Do you have an idea why-?" John asked but got interrupted, before he was able to end his sentence.

"No idea. You should ask an expert about that."

"I guess in light of these events, we will delay the rest of the training until tomorrow." Sabre announced with a little smile.

John handed over his sword without any other tests so not to risk that it blew up too. But he didn't go far until someone called after him.

"Hey!" It was Ronald and he had something in his hand, a basket. "Good, I was able to get you. John, right?" He asked breathing hard after his sprint and supported himself on his knees with his arms.

"Yeah, what's up Ronald?"

The wiped out Cerinian looked up to him. "Well, I and the others thought…. You're a good guy and that's why I wanted to give you this." Ronald opened the basket.

In it were the remaining parts of his staff and his sword. There really wasn't much left.

To his amazement the part which held the crystal was unharmed at the biggest parts and the other end, with the crystal blade, was in one piece.

John smiled. "Thanks... but why the sword?"

"I asked officer Siren if I could take your sword so that it could be taken to a blacksmith and let him check it through, so that this doesn't happen again. I can bring you to go a good blacksmith now, I you want."

John nodded. "Thanks, Sefilia awaits me later, so I guess it's alright." He again looked at, what was left of his staff and then he had to smile because of the idea which just came up his mind.

"Would you mind if we go and pick someone up before we go to the smith? I want to ask her for a favor." Ronald didn't understand what John meant with that, but he just nodded and followed him.

John knew exactly what he wanted and went right to Beseril's shop. He wanted to talk with Katt, who was fortuitously there and just tested some of Beseril's clothes. She wore a very tight training suit combo which accented her figure a lot. John didn't care about that, but Ronald seemed to turn a bit red.

"Tell me Katt, could you do me a favor?" John asked the pink feline.

"Sure. What do you need?"

"Can I borrow your blaster for a while?"

"What do you want with my blaster?" She asked while she had to turn around for Beseril so that he could look at his creation.

"I'll tell you later. It's a little too complicated to explain with such little time."

"Well... you can have it. Just give me a second and I will go get it." She answered while Beseril scratched his head questioning and read some of his notes.

John noticed how red Ronald had become. "You too, huh?"

Ronald nodded slightly. Shortly after, Katt was back and handed John her blaster.

"Here you go, but don't fool around with it. I don't know if I need it some day." Now she saw the fox who hid himself behind John before.

"We know each other, right? From yesterday?" She asked to which he nodded slightly and Katt had to giggle a bit. "I'm sorry, but this all was just a big misunderstanding. But could you still do me a favor?"

The fox thought about it shortly and then nodded slightly shy. "Could you tell everyone to meet at the training court tomorrow? I guess I own everyone a little explanation." He was a bit confused, but Katt told him about her ignorance.

After she had finished his ears hung down, but he still agreed to tell the others what she told him. Beseril cleared his throat loudly and wanted to go on. They said a final farewell and then left everyone for his or her own business.

After that, Ronald led the way. He was still a bit sad, but that didn't distract him to help his friend. They had reached a labyrinthine part of the capital. It was dirtier than the rest of the city and there were sounds of metal working echoing out of every single corner of the street and John smelled lots of smoke.

Ronald let him to a small forge, which wasn't busy at the moment. As they found out, its owner was just having a break and sat with his back to them.

"Hello uncle." Ronald said and the old Cerinian turned around. Despite his old age, he was muscular and tall and his eyes told John that he was a good person. He wore blue overalls that were covered in soot and had black boots on his feet.

"Hello Ronald, long time no see. How was the rite?" The old man asked when he saw him.

"Can't you see it?" Ronald pointed at his armor.

"Yes, yes, that's good. Who's your friend?" He had also noticed John, who still wore his helm. John took it off to show some manners. "Ah, I see. I always wanted to thank you for your help by rescuing the princess." The smith explained. "What can I do for you?"

"Thanks Sir, but I just did what anyone else would have done." John thanked him then he took the basket and opened it on a table. "I don't know if it's even possible, but I wanted to ask for something special."

The old man looked at the remaining pieces of the staff. "I already see the problem. The crystal overcharged itself and then exploded."

"Yeah." John said a bit down.

"I'm sorry that I can't bring the staff back to its original state. For that I need all the parts of it."

John nodded. "I already thought that. That's why I ask you for something else. Could you make something like this out of the remaining parts?" John showed him Katt's blaster.

The old man looked at the weapon suspiciously, but John explained him that it works like the staffs of the Cerinian soldiers. He showed him where he has to put the ammunition, in this case the crystal. John had a weak spot for revolvers and that's why he asked him for a drum magazine, where he could put in the crystal. He showed him the correct place of the trigger and the place where John could regulate the strength of the shot.

The old man made some sketched and notes of Johns ideas. "I've never made something like this, but I will do my best. And what should I do with your sword?"

"Could you please check the crystal for any defects? I don't want it to explode too." The old man nodded again.

"That should be no problem. It should be done the day after tomorrow with your strange weapon. You can pick up the sword tomorrow morning."

John nodded understanding. "Thanks."

"I should be the one to say thanks, but I guess because I won't give you a bill for this, we're even." He smiled a bit and so did John.

They said goodbye and John brought the blaster back to Katt and finally he and Ronald divided. "Your uncle is an awesome person. Tell him that when you see him again, please."

"I'll do. I see you tomorrow then."

_**Important authors note:**_

_**As some of you may know XxSanitariumxX will leave soon for the navy and some of you may know that he is my beta-reader.**_

_**So this is an announcement for a new reader as long as he is gone.**_

_**If you are interested send me a pm and introduce you if you want.**_

_**My beta readers get the following:**_

_**-exclusive pre access to my stories 'Cerinia' and 'A War and a Decision' and upcoming stories**_

_**-maybe funny conversations between me and you**_

_**-the chance being a victim of a random drawing attack (hehe)**_

_**-200$ a month (not)**_

_**Well that's all I guess, if you want more information pm me.**_

_**Translated with the help of XxSanitariumxX**_


	17. A Hard Time

**Chapter 17**

**A hard Time**

John opened the door of Sefilia's house, removing his dirty armor putting it beside the door.

"I heard what happened!" Sefilia exclaimed as she came out of the kitchen; as soon as she saw John, she pulled him into a bone-crushing embrace, looking rather scared. She looked up at him, worried, with her ears drooping down. "But how could something like this happen?" John shook his head.

"I don't have a clue. Another one of the recruits brought me to his uncle, who happens to be a blacksmith; he said that it was a damaged crystal…"

"But, you used it yesterday! As far as I know, crystals are hard to damage; and even harder to destroy."

"That's one thing I am worrying about."

"One thing?" Sefilia asked, her ears rising.

"Sabre just stood there and watched everything; if Siren hadn't something, I probably wouldn't be standing here." John shook his head, confused, "What's wrong with that guy?"

She couldn't believe what she had just heard. She would have never expected her brother to try such methods to separate them. Sefilia didn't have another choice; she had to tell John what she knew. John might not love her anymore after she told him what she knew; still, she thought it would be better that way.

She looked at him again. He didn't seem to have noticed her worried expressions at all; he was still confused about what had happened.  
"John, now I am going to have to tell you something very important." She said, releasing him from her arms and catching his attention again. "It's about Sabre. But you have to promise me that you won't do anything about this; I will handle it on my own."

John nodded, "I promise, but why ... "

"You will know soon." She interrupted him, " ... but please, come with me into the living room first."

When they arrived in the living room, they sat down next to each other. Sefilia's gaze wandered a bit unsurely over the wooden floor. Should she really tell him? It was too late to retreat. She still could lie to him, but he trusted her and she just couldn't do that. John waited, tensed, for what she wanted to tell him.

She took a deep breath and began, "Do you remember the first time, when I told you about Sabre? You wanted to beat him up pretty well."

"To tell the truth, I still want that.", he said, and smirked a bit.

"I told you that he left me alone, to join the military. I told you that he doesn't protect me anymore. Back then I accidently lied to you, because I didn't know ..."

"What do you mean?" John asked, confused.

"He still protects me." John's jaw dropped, and Sefilia continued, "If I had known what Sabre was up to, I would have stopped him."  
Tears were welling up in her eyes, as she continued, "I told you that they all left me, because they didn't have a chance with Sabre. But Sabre made them leave me, like he tried with you." She started to sob, and John tried to calm her down, tentatively patting her shoulder.

"How do you know it now?"

"Shortly after the attack on you, he visited me in the hospital. He didn't tell me in person, but his mind was as open as a book."

"He found out that _they_ were just using me to get closer to him. So… he told them that he would kill them, when they wouldn't break up with me." She bowed down and buried her head into her hands.

Tears were flowing down her cheeks as she continued, "And he still wants to protect me."

John was shocked and confused at the same time, "What was it you want to tell me?"

"You still remember that night, when that stranger tried to kill you?"

"You're telling me that …?" He slowly put the pieces together.

"Yeah. That stranger was Sabre." The salty flow of her tears continued, and even became a bit stronger.

He wanted to calm her down and hug her. He was still furious; but he understood her. Sabre was still her brother, no matter what. He never had a brother or a sister; but nonetheless, he was trying to figure out how she felt.

"Why didn't you tell me?" John asked her in a soft, gentle tone.

"I-I didn't want to tell you, because I feel something … You are something special and I didn't want to let you go like the others … I didn't want to lose you." Here and there her words were interrupted by more sobs.

"I would understand, if you hate me and if you don't want to see me again. "

He softly tilted her chin with his hand; her hands slowly dropped to her lap, and she felt his hand as it brought her eyes level with his own, "Sefilia, I have already promised you that no one will separate us; no one, not Sabre, not even death will stop me in holding my promise ...

I love you Sefilia Wolferos. I have loved you since the day we met." He smiled happily as he kissed her gently on her lips.

Her tears slowly stopped running and she began to smile, full of joy. They would be together, forever.

The old man was lying in his cell, waiting. He didn't know what he was waiting for; was it rescue, death, or his salvation? He didn't know. He knew just one thing; his life would go like this for an eternity. His enemy wouldn't let him free or kill him. He would just torture him to the end.

The pictures of the event always disappeared in a blur. He just remembered someone asking him a question.

He didn't understand that question and answered 'No'. Always  
when he had said that or something similar, the pain would start to explode through his body again.

That seemingly endless pain.

His torturer was enraptured by every scream, every whimper and every twitch he could press out of his victim.

He didn't remember how long he was there; he hadn't seen the sun for ages. His sleep was unsteady, and the only thing he could do was sit and eat what the guards gave him; that kept him barely alive.

He was dragged out of his cell once again. He had stopped resisting a while ago, and just let them lug him over the ground. As always when they left him on the bench the guards laughed, because of the screams they were going to hear.

Again his tormentor greeted him with a smile and asked him the same question as always, "Will you cooperate today, old man; or do you want to continue suffering?" His claw wandered over the old fox's chest and punched through his fur and skin. The old fox was much too used to it to let any of his muscles twitch from something like that.

"What do you want from me?" the old, confused man asked, "Tell me the truth of your people. What is it about your technology and weapons?" the general asked as all those times before.

"I don't know what you're talking about ... "

"Old fool!" the lizard spat, and laughed again. "Luckily, you won't be necessary in a little while." He grabbed the old man by his shroud, and whispered in his ear quietly, "We may have been pushed back, but now a little present has arrived; soon, your people will be wiped from the surface of this planet!"

John had just entered the forge of the blacksmith, when the old man greeted him again and handed him his sword, "You were lucky. The other crystal had a split as well. I just replaced it with a new one and added a nice little extra so that shouldn't happen in the future again. If you had used the sword as the staff, it would have exploded just like your staff." he explained.

"Thanks, but I think that wasn't necessary." John thanked him,

"Oh yes, I think it was! I'm not stupid, boy; two out of two is no longer an accident. Especially not if it had worked the day before." He said, telling John what already knew, "Someone has it in for you. I don't know who or why, but that is certain."

He looked at John in a serious way. "Thanks for your worries. I will watch myself." John thanked him, and went to the training court.

Sabre wasn't there yet, but Siren had already started the training. They had already run several rounds until John arrived and joined them.

Some of them greeted him in a nice tone, and even Ronald seemed to be more open to his environment. Now it was easy for him to get a sparring partner.

Siren was not a match to Sabre in making training hard; but they still sweated a lot, and their muscles slowly tired.

When they started the shooting practice again, John had to sit down at the side and watch them. "Good to see you here again, kid." Siren gave him a small punch to the shoulder, "I was worried that you wouldn't come, because of the event yesterday."

John smiled back at the vixen, "I won't get scared because of _that_."

"I was more worried about Sabre."

"Huh?"

"Well, normally he would do something if things like that happen; but yesterday, he just stood there and watched. I'm really worried about him ... I just don't get it ... What's wrong with him?"

The vixen sighed and shook her head, "Today he sent a messenger to me. He said I should do the training today." She looked, disappointed, towards the ground.

John had to laugh a bit. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"He is the one, right?"

"He is the one what?" John just had to smile more, and shook his head also.

"The chosen one, for your life after the military."

Suddenly, her fur ruffled up, and she looked up at him, a bit shocked, "Why do you think so?" she asked in disbelief.

"I can read the signs. The way you talk about him, the way you look at him… and the way you just reacted." He leaned back a bit, and looked at her, satisfied, "You wouldn't have done that, if you don't have feelings for him.".

Her gaze dropped to the ground and she accepted her defeat, "I can tell you one thing kid, you have a gift of pretty damn good observation skills."  
He just shrugged his shoulders, "That's what you learn, when you are surrounded by false friends." he reasoned. "But I won't tell anyone about it. I respect you and will leave it to you, for when you think he should know it."

She smiled, pleased, and nodded, "Thanks, kid."

It was better that he didn't tell her what Sefilia had told him. He didn't want to make Sabre sound bad, even if Sabre didn't deserve such a woman as Siren.

"So, what are you going to do about your staff?" Siren asked him after a while, once she had reined in some of the recruits.

"Don't worry, I don't need a new one. Ronald brought me to his uncle. He is a blacksmith, and we had a little deal. He'll make me a new weapon out of the remaining parts of the staff."

She nodded, pleased, "I didn't expect any less from you. What kind of weapon will it be?"

"One from my home world. It looks pretty similar to Katt's, and its function is pretty much the same."

"I will stay tuned." she commented, and put on her victorious smile again.

The training went on for a while, but not as long as the day before. Still, everyone was encouraged as much as the day before.

Shortly before the training ended, Siren announced something that was of interest to everyone, "You have trained well today; but soon, we will test if you _really_ have the talent for being a soldier or not."  
Some muttering went through the rows of the recruits, but Siren just went on, "Tomorrow we will adjust the training a bit; we want you to leave your armor here so that we can check them. With a little luck, Captain Wolferos will join us tomorrow and give a speech. And now, dismissed!"

"Finally some action!" John heard someone exclaim, after they had walked some meters away.  
"What do you think, Alistor?" He heard the same thrilled voice ask.

"Stop dreaming; we're just going to have to polish some armor and then train as always." a female voice said, slightly annoyed.

The talking stopped as fast as it had started; they had just noticed Katt, who now stood at the training court with all of her presents stacked to a huge pile. All the boys she had met yesterday were crowding around her and listening to what she wanted to tell them.

Siren caught John just as he came out of the weapon chamber, "Tell me, kid. Do you know what the little beauty has planned for them?" John started to laugh again. He had almost forgotten what had happened to Katt the day before. "She wants to clear a little misunderstanding. She thought all those gifts were some kind of welcome presents."

"Ouch." Siren had to smile as well, "That's why my nephew asked me what I like. I could have gotten that idea as well." John saw her gaze drifting off, as she continued, "I remember the days when I was that age. Every single boy wanted to give me one of those presents. I had to give it to them, sometimes even violently."

"Hey, she wants to start." John said to get rid of the old times girly talk.

"Yesterday I got all these presents from you." Katt started her talk, and pointed at the pile with the unopened presents, "I was really happy to get so many presents; but I didn't open them, because I wanted to give them back to you." A loud muttering started, and some girls around her put on pleased smiles.

"As you know, I'm not from here." she continued, "I don't know much about your traditions. And because I don't want to cause trouble in the future, I want to give you all of your presents back." You could clearly feel the friction was building up, and the fur of Katt's young adorers was standing up straight.

"I already have a boyfriend!" Many of the young Cerinians were shocked and indignant at her statement; they didn't want to accept this.

"And where is he?"

"Why are you alone then?"

"I love you!"

Katt was visibly over-worked with all those questions. Thinking quickly, Siren decided to help her out. "Hey!" she barked, "The kid has made her decision! Whoever doesn't accept her decision doesn't deserve her anyway."

The boys were tough, but they didn't stand a chance against Siren and unfortunately had to give up.

Some of Katt's broken admirers took their presents back, since some had given rare Cerinian antiques or an old family heirloom.

When the last one of the beaten boys left the training court, Siren and John, who was once again in civilian attire, went to see if Katt was okay. She was worn out, and sat tired on a big, wooden chest; she couldn't help but stare at the enormous amount of remaining presents in the pile.

"Thanks Siren; they were just too much for me."  
Siren winked at her, "No problem kid, we women have to hold together." Her gaze fell shortly on the heap of presents which still stood beside her. "Any ideas for what you want to do with the rest of the presents?"

Katt shrugged, "I was just going to unwrap them and give some to Beseril and to you. My circle of friends has shrunk pretty much again." She smiled a bit at the irony. "I would _prefer_ to go home ..." she thought out loud.

"I just remembered something! I have something to give you. Pop on over here for a minute." Siren waved her over to the main building and went with her inside. John thought it would be a better idea for him to wait outside and keep an eye on the presents as long as Katt and Siren were gone.

Katt came back pretty fast, but without Siren. When John asked her, where she had gone she just said, "She has too much stress at the moment. She is preparing something for you for tomorrow ... plus she gave me this letter." the slightly confused cat fluttered a letter in her hand.

John knew that letter just too well.

"You too, huh?" John asked.

"What do you mean, 'You too?"

"She didn't tell you what that is?" John asked, slightly astonished.

"No." she admitted, "What's is it?"

"A letter from the royal palace."

"From the royal palace?" Katt said curiously.

"Yeah; when Sefilia and I got one of these, we were asked to come to the palace and have an audience with the king."

Her ears perked up in the blink of an eye, "An audience with the king? Sounds interesting. How was it when you were there?" she demanded to know immediately.

"Let's talk about that on our way back. It looks that it will rain soon." John looked for a moment into the sky and saw that rain clouds were floating across the sky. Katt looked into the sky as well, and said, "I guess you are right. Here..." She suddenly handed him large portion of the presents.

He accepted them, a bit confused. Katt saw his expression, and laughed, "Do you really think that a lady has to carry all that?"

"You carried all of this to the training court on your own!"  
Katt giggled a bit, "Not exactly. I abused my position, you could say."

John laughed a bit, "You can't change as well, can you?"

"Hey, you haven't known me long enough to talk about me like that." She gave him another present so that he could barely see a thing.

John (who now carried most of the presents) told Katt (who only carried one or two) how his audience with the king had went. "It could be possible that he invited both of you. That's what happened to us." Katt looked a bit dreamily into the sky, "Let's hope so; I'm not up to standing there and letting everyone stare at me."

John wrinkled his brow, "And what was that with the boys back there? You did like that, didn't you?" Katt sighed, worn out. "That was something different; they liked me. I don't know how royalty will react to me."

"You just shouldn't talk the way you usually do. Try to be gentle and kind; that should do the job... Oh, and you should know that the princess can read minds as well." Katt raised one of her eyebrows, "Her too? Well, don't worry; I'll watch out."

They had just arrived at Beseril's shop, when John finished his talk. "You should ask Beseril if he can give you something to wear, or else they won't let you in."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" the indignant cat wanted to know.

Katt looked down at her midriff-baring top and her tight jeans as John answered her,"The palace is not a dance club. It's a royal residence, and you should wear something that fits to your environment."

"Let's see ... " she said with an amused smile and opened the door of the shop.

"Hey B, it's me again! I've got a little surprise for you here!" she called into the room. As it seems, Beseril was again in the back room, puzzled at his new creations. Katt turned back to John, "Just put the presents on the desk over there; I'll put them away later."

"What's up K?" Beseril asked, as he came out of the back room with a scissor in his hands. Apparently 'K' was Besiril's new nickname for Katt. "Here, I got this one from Siren." She said, waving the letter in the air. The curious Beseril grabbed it in the blink of an eye and started to read.

After he had read it about the third time he just stood there like a rock.

"That's wonderful!" he suddenly burst out loud, almost giving Katt and John a heart attack, "We must dress in the right things. We don't want to make a bad impression on them, do we?"

"Just wait a second!" Katt interrupted him, "We? You want to come with me?"

He grabbed her at her hands and started to dance with her in a circle, "Yes! Isn't that great? The palace, the decoration, the gentry!" he romanticized. "I've heard that the food there is so delicious, that you'll think you are in heaven!"

"I told you that they are a bit paranoid and always want someone of their own around." John said, flustered, to her, while Beseril was still distracted.

"I'm sorry John, but you have to go now. We have to change for later." Beseril said, while he pushed John out of the door. But before he was even able to answer, Beseril had already locked the door behind him, and already began searching audibly for clothes for himself and Katt. John just laughed a bit and headed back to Sefilia's.

"So Katt got an audience with the king too? And Beseril should go with her?"

"Yup; he is panicking a lot about that. He almost broke my nose with his main door." Sefilia giggled a bit and kissed John on his almost broken nose.

"I'm really getting the feeling that she doesn't want to go back anymore." Sefilia said, while she prepared dinner with John helping.

"Yeah, but she still has to finish her job; and as she said, it's pretty damn important."

It was late in the evening when the doorbell rang. Sefilia and John were still awake; they had been learning a bit more about each other's language and writing system, and had corrected each other.

John opened the door, while Sefilia jotted down some notes about what he could learn next. "Ah, hello Katt… and Beseril. What are you doing here this late?"

"Could we come in? We have to talk to you about something."

"Sure, come in." John made some space and let their friends come in.

When Sefilia looked up, finished, John whistled, impressed when he saw Katt's dress and Beseril's suit, "Nice stuff folks."

"Thanks." Katt said and turned a bit red; Beseril just smiled, pleased, and pulled a bit at his tie.

Katt wore a glimmering, dark orange gown with a pinafore. It fit snugly to her figure and had a closed back. Like Sefilia's dress, it changed its intensity depending how much light was shining on it. In addition to the dress, she wore a light, barely visible red lipstick and orange sandals.

Beseril wore a dark-purple suit, with a white shirt plus a purple tie. Fitting to his purple attire, he wore black pants, below which glimmered purple-and-black shoes.

"Wow, your dress looks fantastic!" Sefilia said the moment she saw her. Again Katt turned a bit red, "Thanks again."

"Again, you did an awesome job." Sefilia said, now turning to Beseril.

"Thank you, thank you; it still amazes me myself!" He sobered up a little, and looked at the group seriously. "Now, that's enough thanks for now, or else I will explode from pride. There is something more important we should talk about." Beseril said, turning red as well.

"B is right! You could say it could get a bit tight." Katt said.

"First of all, we should sit down. Then we can tell you what happened."

"I'll put on another tea." Sefilia added, rushing towards the kitchen.

They all sat in the living room on Sefilia's two couches as soon as everyone got their cup of tea. Sefilia sat down besides John on one couch, while Beseril sat down with Katt on the other one.

"So, how was it?" Sefilia blurted out.

"John was right … unfortunately. I had to try my best to be gentle and not doing something stupid. That sucked!" exclaimed Katt energetically.  
"Luckily you survived all of this." Beseril said, trying to calm her down.

"So, what did the king think of you?" John asked, to drive the conversation into another direction.  
"I think it went pretty well. I guess, here and there he didn't believe me when I told him about Corneria and our technology... disregarding that, I think it went on pretty good." Katt told them, still a bit excited.

Beseril let his head hang a bit down, "Unfortunately, nobody wanted to know anything about our attire. They all just were so serious and stark ... They didn't even bat an eyelid!" he said, horrified.

"Don't worry about that. I think they were just so amazed of the beauty of your work that they weren't able to say a word." Sefilia said to calm him.

"By the way, the queen almost looks as old as me. I need the number of her beauty consultant at all costs." Katt commented, and Sefilia had to snicker a bit.

"She only looks that young because she _is_ that young." Sefilia explained, "As far as I know, she is only 25 or so ... "

"25!", Katt burst out, "I never thought that she would marry someone that old to get into a position like that." Katt exclaimed.

"He isn't that old." John said, inserting himself into the conversation, "If I counted right, then he is about 28, 29." Again, Katt and Beseril were astounded and both dropped their jaw a bit, but kept silent to continue with the main topic.

"But it was also a bit creepy… especially the way the princess always stared at me; it was if as she could see right through me." Katt's fur ruffled up a bit.

"She read your mind, and because of that she needed to concentrate a lot. She may be young, but she is pretty talented." Sefilia sighed, "Unfortunately, it isn't that easy for _me_ to read minds since the pain attacks." she explained. John hugged her softly, and looked into her eyes to cheer her up a bit.

"That's normal. You suffered a mental shock and because of that your abilities will be weakened for a while ... or so." John added, and petted her hand softly.

"Yeah, I should have known that myself. At least _I_ am the doctor here." A small smile decorated her face.

"Before you start making out again, we should better tell what had happened in the end." Katt interrupted them. John and Sefilia turned a bit red, and their ears perked up.

"So, I told the king about my mission and that one of the transporters went through. When he asked me what could have been inside I told him the same, as I did to you ... Everything!"

"Don't make it that thrilling!" John said, impatient, "What did they say?"

"Well ... " Beseril started, "In view of the danger, they decided that all of the Cerinian civilians of the surrounding villages should come to the capital city."

"That's really gonna be a tight situation." John said, and scratched his chin a bit, "Plus, we are going to be like rats in a trap."

"I don't understand ..." Sefilia said hesitantly.

"You don't have to understand that." John explained.

"It's an old war strategy. They drive us all together and take us out all at once." Katt said, adding her piece again. "Exactly." John added out of humor.

"That's what I tried to explain to them! But he just said that the attacks on their populace won't stop and that their people will die or get captured soon." she explained.

"He won't allow anything to happen to them, and he wants to get some time to figure something out." Sefilia added.

"Let's hope that he will do that." Beseril said, with a dropping voice and thankfully ending the conversation.

After that, they sat a while in the living room, but didn't say much and finally said goodbye to Beseril and Katt again, because John had an exhausting day to come.

The next day was really stressful for him. They were welcomed by Sabre, Siren and a third male soldier John didn't know. Beside them stood a rack for armor and weapons. John had a bad feeling about this.

"Before you can prove yourself worthy to be a soldier of the royal army, you have to pass a test first." Sabre announced to the whole recruit squad, "A survival test!" A wide smile appeared on his face, which was left unnoticed by many of them; they were more distracted by the words 'Survival test'. Only John and some of the older ones stayed calm and continued listening to their captain.

"Everyone who doesn't feel up to the challenge can refuse it, but has to consider that his career as soldier will end right after; and he or she will have to look for a new role in our culture."

To John's sorrow, some of the younger recruits were so daunted by the prospect, they handed over their armors and weapons and went home with their head down. '_I guess it's better for them.', _John thought, '_They wouldn't stand a chance against one of those elites.'_

But even after that 'selection', there still were many recruits left who wanted to try and become soldiers.  
"Now you will be divided into teams of two and brought into different parts of the jungle. But you should remember that this is the territory of the enemy.", again mumbling was heard, what Sabre just ignored and instead continued talking.  
"Your mission is simple; survive till the next afternoon and you've made it. If not, it's your problem!", Sabre barked.

"Any questions?" Many of them were so shocked that they didn't dare say anything. John just had to try hard not to smile. This reminded him of an old training method from his home planet.

Next was the division into teams, "Anderson and Betton, O'Neil and Saintis ...", '_That sure is going to be interesting…',_ John thought when Ronald looked at him, confused and nervous.

In the end, everyone was grouped into a team and Sabre made his final point, "Alright, the teams are assembled. Now you are responsible for your partner; if something happens to him, it's your fault. If your partner is captured or killed, you are out as well, and are no longer allowed to join the military. We will start in an hour and a half! Hand over your weapons for a last checkup in the weapon chamber of the main quarters." Some of the recruits headed straight to the main quarters.

"That's not a recommendation; that's an order! Everyone who doesn't hand over his weapon for the checkup will be eliminated with his partner." Now the rest went away as well.

The rest of the group met in front of the main building, as did John and Ronald, "I'm sorry that you have to do this with me." Ronald said.

"You shouldn't be sorry for this; now we can show them what we've got." John tried to encourage him.

"I have to pick up the weapon from your uncle or else will we be in serious trouble. Will you join me?", "S-Sure."  
Ronald was still nervous, but John didn't want him to give up; for both of their sakes.

They were just on the way to Ronald's uncle, when they both figured out a strategy, "First, we should find a water source, then a high tree or a cave or something like that." John said first.

"You really think so?"

"I had to camp almost two days out there; to tell the truth, this is the best you could do." John said self- confidently, "Our mission is not to kill Sharpclaw; we should stay away from them, instead."

"I guess you are right there ... But the only problem is, I can't climb." he said, flattening his ears.

"Never mind, we just put that of the list. I can only climb up ropes."

"And what should we eat?"

"Vegetables and fruits should be the best. Or would you like to try to hunt something down and light on a fire… which could probably reveal our position?"

"Sound logical." Ronald had to accept the first option.

"To think I told Sefilia that she shouldn't wait for me because of dinner and just put a bowl of vegetables into the living room. Hah, it's a bummer it will have to go bad!" John thought out loud after a while. Ronald got a bit perplexed. "Tell me; you and Sefilia, you've known each other for quite a while now, haven't you?"

"Yup; she was the second person of your people who didn't run away from me when they saw me... Why do you ask?" John said.

"The second one? Who was first?"

"The princess ... But that was something else. I helped her to escape; kind of had to trust me. And then there is all that mind reading stuff. You know ... but tell me, why do you ask?" Ronald couldn't resist teasing him a bit. "Well, you've been together for quite a while now, and I thought you two would be ... you know... "

John knew what he was driving at, "You mean me and her?"  
He couldn't say the wrong thing, "No. Sorry, but I guess I have to let you down there; we are just good friends."

"Well, that's good." Ronald said, clearly relieved.

"What's good?" John had a suspicion and wanted to dig deeper. "Well, you know that it won't work with Katt...", the young blue fox turned a bit red under his fur.

"I remember that, but what ... Oh, you mean ... You like her, don't you!". Ronald blushed more and his ears rose up. "Hey, hey! Don't shout that out louder. The whole city doesn't have to know that!"

John laughed a bit, "Sorry. But unfortunately there are three problems." He said with a more silent voice so that only Ronald could hear him, "First, she is older than you. She sure wants someone her age." Ronald looked at him, thrilled, and nodded at his words as he tried to commit all the problems to his memory.

"Second, there is also her brother, our captain. She said he watches her like a hawk, and kicks the butt of everyone who tries to get close to her. Now you can imagine why he doesn't like me… despite the fact that I'm not dangerous at all." he added so as not to appear suspicious.

"And what's the third problem?" Ronald asked, after John had suddenly stopped talking. "Huh? Oh yeah the third point!" The third point was that he and Sefilia were already a couple, but he couldn't say that.

"I'm listening." he stuck to John.

"Well, uhm … the third problem is … that … she …" He had to figure out an emergency lie, "Sheeee … is… so busy with work that she hasn't got time for a boyfriend. You know, exploring bacteria, finding antidotes, writing reports; plus the extra work she got because of me and the orders of the king." Ronald nodded again.

"I understand … Bummer, she is so beautiful that I just wanted to go and kiss her."

"I totally know what you mean …" John mumbled.

"What did you say?" Ronald seemed to have heard him.

"Argh! Nothing … just thought about, what the captain has next for us.", he answered hastily during their walk.

When they had arrived at the forge of Ronald's uncle, they found he was already for them, "Good! You are here. I was afraid that you might not come."

"And miss my new weapon? Never!"

"Yeah, yeah, your weapon… I did everything as you said. I hope you like the outcome." He picked up a small bundle from a desk and handed it to John, who unwrapped it the second he got it to take a look.

He held a silver, blue drum revolver, like he had always dreamed of, in his hands. At first it looked different, but when he saw his reflection and the curves of his new ranged weapon, John was more than pleased.

Just like a normal revolver, (which needed ammo) it had the same grooves as a normal revolver in its drum, which glowed red to show that it was loaded. The muzzle was longer and wider than the one of normal revolvers; the lever (which is needed to open the drum) had been changed to a small button, and the second lever has been changed to a switch to secure the weapon.

John took a good, long look at his new weapon and could barely peel his eyes off it. Ronald looked rather interested at the object John called a weapon, too. "The switch is to change the strength is over the trigger at the side, if you haven't noticed it yet." the old blacksmith said, pleased.

"So, how do you like it?" the old blacksmith asked with a wide grin over his face.

"It is perfect! Just like I had expected. Nothing is missing at all!" He turned the revolver slightly in his hand and grabbed it again, "And because it barely weighs a thing, it's even better!"

The old man laughed a bit, "I always like hearing that. Here is the container you wanted, too." He handed him a leather holster for the revolver that he could adjust to his belt .

"Thanks."

"And before I forget, here are two more loads, in case you can't wait for the crystal to recharge; plus, I added a little extra." He gave John a little pouch that contained two more drums, which held one crystal each.

But there was also something more inside the pouch. It was a small leather sheath of a knife.

He drew the small weapon, "Isn't that …"

"Right, that's the lower crystal tip of your staff. I didn't know what to do with it, so made this out of it. It may not be large, but it's still pretty sharp."

The short, sharp, blue crystal was slightly filed off, so that it looked like a dagger. The whole weapon was completely see-through; only the added grip was glimmering with the typical silvery, blue metal.

John just smiled; with the two new weapons he had gained, he quickly got over the loss of the one he was supposed to keep for the rest of his life.

"Awesome! Thanks again for your help." John thanked him again.

"As I already said, no problem kid. Just watch it, and finish off some Sharpclaw, if you don't mind." The old man answered, amused.

"I will!"

"So that's the way weapons look on your planet?" Ronald asked, amazed.

"Yeah, for the most part. Our wars always, or for the most part, are fought with ranged weapons. We do not have jungle all around, like on Cerinia."

"Ah, I see."

He took a quick look at a clock that was hanging at one of the lanterns of the street, "Hey, we should start to hurry; we barely have one hour left till we leave." They sprinted back to the yard.

They were out of breath, but made it before the time had run out.

John went up to the first floor, into the room where he had met Siren the first time.

Since his last visit the room had barely changed. Only one wall was altered; where before had stood some weapons, now stood a table, where he should hand over his own. Two Cerinian soldiers, a man and a woman, controlled the arsenal of the recruits.

John put his blaster, including holster and the pouch with the extra magazines on the side with the unchecked weapons.  
"And what should that be?" the woman asked, unbelieving, with a tone of laughter in her voice when she saw John's blaster and drew it out of its holder.  
"That's my weapon; just watch out, so that you don't blow off your head accidently." She threw an angry glare at him, but still proceeded to check his weapon.

After a brief amount of time, the recruits stood on the yard, unarmed. Unfortunately, some of the recruits were again missing; though, at least in teams no one was left alone.

Sabre stood in front of the left group, "Well folks, as it looks some of you have changed their minds. But now, you shouldn't show the white flag too and run back to your mommies." Again he smiled. "Now, you will get your checked armor and weapons back and will prepared for decampment!" he barked; and for the second time, two racks were pushed onto the open field, where the equipment of the recruits was laying.

It was easy for John to find his weapons and his armor, since he was the only one who didn't have a pattern on his armor or his sword; plus, his blaster hung at the side of the staff rack.

Some recruits looked at him confused or even angry, when they saw what he did to the remains of his staff. Luckily the angry looks just were mostly from Sabre; the rest of the witnesses just didn't know what they should think about his new weapon.

"Last but not least, you will drink a cup of our holy water, which will give you strength and bravery for the upcoming mission."

Two rather snobbish-looking servants, probably from the palace, walked over to the recruits and the three soldiers and handed them cups of water; first to the older ones, then the younger ones.

Sabre lifted his own cup in unison with the older recruits, "Good luck, and may you survive the upcoming night!" With the end of the sentence, he emptied the cup. '_Tastes a bit strange.'_ John thought, and started to yawn. He wasn't allowed to get tired now, he had to concentrate.

But somehow he didn't manage to overcome his weariness; plus, he didn't know why, but he felt that he was growing weaker.

He looked around; he wasn't the only one who was feeling like this. Some of the other recruits like Allen and Sabrina were already kneeling on the ground and slowly lost consciousness.

It didn't took long until everyone around was lying on the ground and didn't move anymore. By the time Ronald was already unconscious, or even dead, John finally decided to do something, "That god-damned bastard poisoned the water!" he gritted his teeth and drew his blaster. He adjusted it to stun and turned to aim it at Sabre.

But before he could even think of drawing the trigger, he was struck by several projectiles and dropped motionless to the ground.

"Wow, did you see that?" Siren asked, when she closed up to John's body and nudged him with her staff, "He could think clear enough to draw his weapon and point it at you, captain."

"Yeah ... but I don't care; nothing would have happened at all."

"You don't like him very much, do you?"

"We have our differences."

* * *

_**Authors notes:  
**_

_**Another way of survival:**_

First we should gather some wood, make a workbench, wooden tools and dig for stone. Then make an oven and burn some charcoal. When we do not find any sheep to collect some wool, we dig ourselves into the earth and wait till day.  
While waiting for day, we could dig further into the ground and try to find some iron or coal.  
But watch out for caves.  
Creepers will fuck up your day/night.

_**This is the end of the election of my beta reader and the winner is Brasta Septime !**_

_**But I still really have to thank the other ones, who wanted to help me:**_

uruturamanzenith

InsaneRussianBastard

ScoMcClo

_**Thanks for your help guys, but sorry Brasta was the best (well, in my eyes …). But it was a close head to head race.**_


	18. Survival and other Problems

**Chapter 18**

**Survival and other Problems**

John moaned slightly, when he got awaken of a well known voice, "Hey John, wake up! We have no time to waste!"  
"Argh ... what the hell? Where am I?", he felt that he lied somewhere in grass.  
"They brought us into the jungle while we were unconscious. It seems that they just left us in our teams ...", the voice bent over him to see if he was alright.  
"Ah, hey Ronald! Everything alright?"

"I'm fine, but you were a bit harder knocked out than I was.", he sounded a bit worried.  
John sat up and held his head, he had the worst headaches in his life, "I don't know. I just remember that I thought that captain Wolferos poisoned us. Then everything went black.", he looked around to get some orientation.  
"Well at least we know now that this is part of the test."

It was almost like the day, when he was the first few hours on Cerinia. He was knocked out and woken up by a person.  
He was in the middle of nowhere and didn't know where to go, he just had to manage to survive.  
But this time he had the advantage that he wasn't alone.  
That may be an advantage that four eyes could see more than two, but then he also had to gather enough food so that the both of them were sated.

"I guess we have a problem ... ", Ronald said after a while.  
"And that is?"  
"I think they did something to our swords ... When you weren't awake yet I tried to get some food and wanted to cut the fruits of that tree. Anyways it didn't work without the aura."  
"What do you mean with that?"

"It just didn't work. They seemed to have dulled to blade or something like that. Only the aura was able to cut through the plant and barely through the wood.", he said shocked.

"Great ... What the fuck is wrong with them? First the throw us somewhere into the pampas and then they manipulate our weapons so that we almost can't use them anymore.", John thought out loud and angry.

"I would like to know that too ... But first we have to find a hideout for the night. I don't know how long we were unconscious.", he added.

John now raised from the ground and looked, if he still had all of his equipment.  
He still had his armor, sword, blaster and the extra magazines.  
"I've got everything, what about you?", he turned to Ronald.  
"Luckily I've got everything as well ...", he confessed lightly encouraged.

John patted his shoulder, "Come on, we will make it! Just remember the plan, it should be easy for us then. And now come, we have to find a shelter."

They had to watch out. When they could believe their captain at least in that point, then they now where on enemy territory and could run into an enemy patrol any second. That would be fatal with their bad working weapons.

John didn't want to say it, but he felt himself watched.

The day was sultry and here and they it started to rain a bit.  
They didn't have to worry about food, Ronald had a good knowledge about Cerinias vegetation and the few things John found out in his first day weren't that useless.

"Hey, look.", Ronald said, after he had disappeared in a bush.  
John followed him and saw that he found a huddle of old, withered leaves, which laid between two roots of a tree.  
"Someone was here a while ago."  
John looked a bit around, until he knew, where they were.

At their side was a small lagoon and around them were some bushes with eatable fruits.  
He laughed a bit and Ronald looked surprised at him, "I exactly know, where we are."

Ronalds surprise turned to confusion and John pointed at the huddle, "The first night on Cerinia I made this to get at least some kind of sleep.", he said amused.  
He literally came back to the roots.

"Really?", Ronald asked disbelieving.  
"Really, the lagoon is clean and fruits over there are the best you can find here."

Ronald again took a look at the ambiance, "It doesn't look that comfortable."

"At least better than sleeping on wet grass.", he again smiled a bit.

"I was damn lucky, if this really is Sharpclaw territory.", John again said, when they went on again.  
"You really can count yourself lucky there.", Ronald replied.

Before they had left, they took a quick drink of the lagoon and ate some of the fruits.

When Ronald wanted to a pick a direction John stopped him, "We shouldn't go into that direction."  
Ronald turned again around, "Why not?"  
"There is a destroyed village in that direction and I had my first contact with Sharplcaw there.", he turned just into the opposite direction, where Ronald wanted to go.  
Ronald himself kept silent, because he had always maneuvered them into a disaster.

Here and there they heard a rustling in the bushes, but when they took a look there were only critters which hid or looked for food.

As they had expected the marsh through the jungle wasn't that excited. They saw some of those phoenix ravens, how they collected food and gave it to their chicks, which were chirping for it.

They just got bored, when they found something interesting, "A cobbled street?"  
Ronald kneed down and swished some dirt from the stones, "Which hasn't been used for quite a while."  
"Hey, where a street is should be buildings, where the street leads to, huh? Maybe some ruins, where we could hide.", the blue fox thought and scratched his chin a bit.  
'At least some kind of bright spot.', John thought, when they followed the street into one direction.

"The ruins should be that old that they are not being used by Sharpclaw anymore. They don't stay at one place very long, besides their fortress. And as it seem, here was hardly anyone in weeks.", Ronald said, after he took another look on the street.

They still were as bored as before, but now they at least had a target and they had to reach it, before it got dark.

"Do you have other options, if it won't work with Sefilia?", John said out of nowhere to kill some time.  
"Huh ... ? ... Oh ... I don't know. Sabrina is pretty nice too."  
"Do you mean Sabrina Anester of our troop?"  
"Yeah, right ... wait, why are we always talking about my ...", he got interrupted by John, who raised his fist.  
"Don't give me that and don't distract from the issue ... !"  
"Pst, don't you hear that?".

"What's going?", Ronald said with his ears twitching,  
It took him a moment, but then he heard it too, John had heard fighting noises from the depths of the jungle.  
"It's coming from over there!", the fox pointed at the end of the road.  
"Come on Ron, let's go!"

When they came closer shooting noises where added to the shouting .  
'Maybe some of the others?', John thought, when he went through the options.

Johns theory was approved, when they reached the ruins and saw who in trouble was.

"Sabrina, get down!", Ronald shouted.  
She just took cover, behind a pillar, in the right second, before a barrage of enemy energy projectiles could hit her.  
Now the enemy took an aim at John and Ronald.  
John dragged the fox behind a stone wall, after the first shot barely missed his head.

They got sight contact to the other team, the other one was a girl too, but he would have time to take a look at her, when the enemy was dead.  
He showed them that they would fire any second and that they would be more successful, when they would fire together.  
He gave them some seconds to prepare and then they fired.

John didn't saw much between the smoke that got produced, when the energy hit anything wet. He only saw two persons covered with brown cotton hoods.  
There was so much smoke that everything was just a gamble.

It seemed that the enemy didn't see anything as well, but still fired.

It was more a blink than a moment, when John suddenly saw one of these hoods between the smoke and the jungle.  
He just raised his weapon and fired.

After that the enemy stopped firing.

Ronald took a fast peek, "They are gone.", he said to John, who told the girls with a nod that everything was alright.

They walked to the position, where their attackers had been before.  
The other girl let her fingers ran over the ground, "Here are stress marks.". It seemed that one of them got wounded and the other one dragged him away.

Something was wrong, there was no blood.

They followed the track for some meters and tried to make as less noise as possible.

"What da hell?", Sabrina had hit the nail on the head. Right in the heat of their chase the tracks of the attackers had disappeared.

"Is this a fucking joke? Where are they?", Ronald said angry.  
"This planet is getting stranger every minute, if you ask me.", it escaped John , when they went back to the ruins.  
"You can say that again.", the other girl, which last name was Betton, agreed. John now remembered the moment, when Sabre made the teams.

"So ...", John started.  
"So what?", the others looked at him questioning.  
"Should we now find another hideout, or stay here and risk another attack?"  
"I guess, we can forget the new hideout ...", Sabrina said, while looking into the sky, "It's getting dark already.  
"Then the ruins ..."

They sat down in the inside of the ruins, in a small overgrown dome. It maybe was just 24 or 30 feet big a diameter, but was a good shelter. There were only two entrances, the one they came in and another one that led deeper into the complex of the building.

When they were sure that they were save, they took of their helmets to get more comfortable.  
John hadn't recognized it before, but Sabrinas short cut hair, had like a rainbow steplike colors, even if they were only blue and white tones, but still, he could see, why Ronald was interested into her.

Betton on the other side was the total opposite to Sabrina.  
Her hair was that dark blue, that it almost appeared black, if it hadn't gleamed blue in the sunlight. All in all she didn't seem to show many feelings.

Both of them had to cut their hair short, about shoulder length and they both didn't seem to like that.  
Sabrina and Betton had about the same age.

As their appearance, their armor also had a total different pattern.  
Sabrinas shiny sun on her chestplate and Bettons rainy cloud, made the perfect different couple of the both of them.

"So, since when do you walk through the area?", Sabrina asked to break the ice.  
"Well, for the past few hours ... actually since we are awake.", Ronald answered relaxed, "And you?" "It seems that they hit us harder than you."  
"So you didn't eat anything yet?", John asked interested.  
"We were just about to eat something, when those guys suddenly attacked us and burned all the fruits."

"Here.", Ronald handed Betton and Sabrina the bag full of the fruits, he had filled earlier.  
First they were a bit confused, but when they saw, what was inside the bag, they grabbed a fruit and gave the bag back to Ronald.  
"Thanks.", Sabrina said happily, Betton just mumbled something and tossed the bag back to Ron.

"Do your weapons also have malfunctions?", Sabrina asked with her mouth full.  
"So, you too? I'm still questioning what the hell Wolferos brought to such an idea."  
"He shouldn't wonder himself about that everyone hates him, when he does things like that more often.", Sabrina answered, after she took the next bite.

"You don't talk often Betton, do you?", John asked after a while, when she still didn't say a word.  
"I'm just not talking, because I'm not in the fucking mood to talk to some oddballs like you.", she hissed back.

"Come on Stella, the boys aren't that bad.", Sabrina threw at her reproachful.  
"I told you more than once that you shouldn't call me Stella, princess. My name is 'Darker', understood?", she answered pissed.

"So, you can show feelings? What big news.", John surprisingly commented, to drive 'Darker' crazy.  
"What the hell is that about? Is that a fucking flirt or what?"  
"Good one. I just wanted to make some good atmosphere so that we don't have to sit down and silently glare at each other.", John countered again.  
"Whatever. Just don't draw the last straw."  
'Darker' had finished eating and threw the rest on the ground in front of John and then disappeared in the other part of the ruin.

"I'm sorry about Stella.", Sabrina excused her, "She always was that strange, but at the moment she is especially in a bad mood. I guess she is still pissed, because of that sleep powder in the water. She doesn't like malicious people ... And then her boyfriend has left her as well, she is filled with bitterness. Poor thing."  
"She really had a boyfriend?", John asked half joking.

"Hey, watch your mouth. You shouldn't laugh about that!", she warned him.

"Sorry ... Hey, I exactly know how she feels. I didn't got treated better back home."  
"Then you should talk to her, I don't know a thing about things like that … well not yet.", Ronald postulated and gave John a little push.  
"You already said that you haven't found someone yet.", he smiled cocky.  
"Right now, she doesn't need a lover, but a good friend.", John answered bugged. But Ronald just laughed and John had to shake his head.

He went there, where Stella or 'Darker' had disappeared and followed a small overgrown, hallway that led into another dome. That second dome was better protected as the other one plus it was also bigger and darker and only a few rays of light fell into it. It got supported by four pillars which were overgrown with vines.  
Despite its age it appeared very stable.

"Hey Darker, are you here?", the only thing that answered was his echo, "I'm sorry about before, I just made a little joke. I want to talk to you!".  
There was a silent rustling at Johns side and some small stones fell to the ground.  
Darker appeared from a shadow besides him, she wasn't in a good mood and crossed her arms, "What do you want again?"  
"I'm sorry, Sabrina told me what you went through in the last few days.", the human explained, but she kept silent and just looked at him, "I know you may not believe me, but I understand what is going on inside you at the moment … That's why I wanted to talk to you.".

"You think you know how I feel? Bah, tell that someone else!"

"You feel yourself betrayed by everyone and everything and you just could punch everyone you meet right in his face. You feel empty and alone and just hope that your pain will end soon, no matter in what way …", John remembered the pain he felt back on earth.

"Hmmm … It seems you tell the truth.", she noticed and changed her mood in a more kinder form.

John wanted his team in the best condition for the next day, but what came next was unexpected, "Yes and I want to help you that you feel better …", before he was able to react he got assaulted by an exhilarated vixen who pressed her lips on his and went close to him.

He had to admit, he liked it, but he couldn't cheat on Sefilia.  
John pushed her gently, but fast away from him.  
"What are you doing?", Darker protested, "I thought you wanted me to feel better?"

"That's true, but not like that.", John threw in.  
"I thought you know, how I feel!", she shouted at him angry.  
"I know those feelings, but I haven't felt them for weeks now. I found a new home and also someone who means a lot to me. I can't cheat on her, you have to understand that."

She turned her back to him. John didn't saw what Darker was doing, but he could imagine it well.

"I'm sorry …", he said and tried to reach her shoulder.  
But Darker just flinched away, "Go away!", she barked at him with a sad voice.  
John didn't want to give up and closed up again, "I said, PISS OFF!", she turned around and stroke out with her hand, however John didn't want to stop her or dodged.

The vixen hit him with pure rage across his face with her sharp fingernails at help.

Everything went so fast that even the vixen first didn't realize what just had happened. Only when she saw the blood on her hand and on her fingers she recognized what she had done.

She stared into the humans face with sorrow and bit her lips.

Four relatively deep scratches went over his face and blood was flowing out of them in a steady, but small stream.  
There was one more important thing she couldn't get in her head, she didn't know how the human could smile in a situation like this.

When she had lowered her hands and closed her eyes in forgiveness, she accepted every sort of punishment the human wanted to give her.  
Darker winced when the human went closer and raised his own, strong arms.  
The vixen turned her head away in fear and grinned her teeth to get ready.

She nearly got a heart attack, when she suddenly got wrapped into a friendly, warm hug by the human, who just smiled.  
All she could do now, was to cry out all her pain and let it go, "I'm sorry.", was the only thing she squeeze out during her sobs.  
"I won't take it amiss … of course as long those won't leave scars behind.", he chuckled, while she looked at him, with a sorry look.

Now he saw that not only her hair was as dark as night, also her eyes had a very dark, blue color that almost matched her pupils.

That situation was very familiar for John, but he knew that I won't continue, as it did with Sefilia … He at least hoped so.

The embrace loosened up earlier than the one with Sefilia and she also acted different to her, she was silent, but then also smiled a bit.

"I think I go and get the others. This dome looks better than the other one.", John explained. Also he wanted to avoid another kiss or cuddle attack of her, or else he wasn't all sure about that he could resist not staying loyal to Sefilia.

When he reached the others, their situation seemed to get better as well. Ronald sat besides Sabrina and they talked a bit with each other. Sabrina laughed a bit, 'It seems they get along with each other well.', John thought when he got closer.  
Ronald heard Johns footsteps and turned around to him, "Wow, dude! What happened to you?", Ronald commented, when he saw the wound on Johns face, "That looks pretty bad.", Sabrina had to admit.  
"Let me take a look at it, I know something about that stuff.", Ronald indeed didn't like the attention John got from her, but at least it wasn't like the one he got before.

"Hmm … It doesn't seem to be something serious, just a flesh wound.", she kneaded his face a bit to see the reactions of the wound, but everything it did, was to spill out more blood, "Hey … ouch!"

"Don't cry like a little baby, apart from that you are not that touchy too!", she teased him cheeky.

After a while she let go of his face, "Your eyes didn't get hurt. Just keep the wound clean and nothing serious should happen till the end of the test tomorrow.", she diagnosed.  
"How did that happen anyways?", Ronald added, before John could start talking.

"Let's say … It was a little misunderstanding … you could say so …", John tried to get out of it.  
"The reason, why I came back …", John started again, "We found another dome back there. It looks much better than this one, plus there is only one entrance and no whole in the walls for a sneak attack.".  
"Sound good to me …", Sabrina commented.  
"Anyways, it's better to protect.", Ronald threw into the conversation.

John went ahead and the two of them followed him, through the dark, overgrown passage.  
They were pretty surprised, when they saw Darker sitting on the rondel, smiling.  
"What did you do to her that she is that happy?", Ronald whispered surprised in his ear.  
"I did just talk, the rest did she …", John told him, to stay with the truth.

"And what did she do exactly?", Sabrina dug deeper, who had secretly listened, "First she did that.", he pointed at his face, "And about the rest you have to ask her yourself, being friends and stuff …"

"If you are really that awkward for you, I will ask her myself.", she was a bit snapped, because John didn't want to tell her, but still, if it was something embarrassing it would be better that Ronald didn't hear it.

It wasn't dark yet, but they decided to part the dome into two halves, one for the ladies and one for the guys. Ronald and Sabrina seemed to be a bit sad about that.

As she already had said, Sabrina said down besides Stella and wanted to hear what they had done and he was sure that Sabrina also told her what she had done with Ronald.  
Unfortunately Ron was as curious as Sabrina.  
"Come on, tell me, what have you done?", Ronald tried to find out.  
"Sorry, no chance."  
"Please! Sabrina is snickering. She already knows about it … and do you see, how red Stella got? … Wait a second … did you … make out?", he asked sly.  
"I already told you that I won't say a thing!", he shouted silently.

Ronald rose his arms, "Cool down dude, don't get mad! … Or … am I right?", John just could smack his face and Ronald put on a victorious smile.  
"I am ri-ight!", he sang happily.

"So, what did you do else? Did you touch her?", he continued asking.  
The human dropped his head, "You really can't let me go, do you?", he asked him nerved.  
"You made me curious, that's your own fault.", he confessed pleased.

"Why aren't you always like that?", John asked interested, when he had finally realized that new Ron that was around for quite a while now.  
The fox was confused, "What do you mean?"

"Well in training you are always that shy. Just remember the day, when you chose your weapons.", Ronald slowly got behind, what John was about, "And now look at you today. You have an open opinion, you don't let anyone peak at you and the most important thing … Sir, you flirted with a girl."

"Hmm … Now that you say it, I realize that too.", Ronald shrug his shoulders, "I don't know, maybe because I'm often around you, and you are pretty much like that, what you just said.", the fox explained, "Or maybe it's just that monster pressure.", he looked at the roof for a short moment.  
"I just don't know."

John wanted to counter, before his friend was able to open his mouth again, "And what did the two of you?", now he was the one, who could smile and Ronald the one hiding his face, "Did you make out?"  
"Listen, I just know her for some minutes and then you want imply me something like that?"  
John just put on a, 'And what did you think about me?' look and Ronald dropped his head.

"Don't worry … I maybe will just tell your uncle.", he smiled cocky.  
"Don't dare it, or else …!", Ronald threatened him, with the only effect, to make him even more laugh.  
"Or what? Do you want to get that long on my nerves that I hit myself k.o?", John joked.

"No, this happens!", he pulled off his armored gloves and punched John as hard as he could at his cheek so that he tumbled down.

There was silence for a moment and Sabrina rose to scotch the upcoming fight.  
John blinked for a short moment with his eyes and first had to realize what just had happened.

Suddenly his smile appeared again and he laughed, while standing up again.  
Ronald had to start smiling too and laughed as well, while they both got watched by the confused girls.

"What are you two dumb asses laughing about now?", Darker hissed nerved.  
"To tell the truth I don't know.", John said, while he mopped the tears he cried of laughter of his face.  
"That's boys stuff, you don't have to understand that.", Ronald added, who put on his glove again.

"Boys …!", Sabrina stated and went back to Darker.

When the situation had calmed down again John started it again, "So, what's so fascinating about her?".  
"Not again …", the fox muttered and sighted, "Fine! But Come here, I don't want them to hear it.".

John sat down beside him with a big and nasty smile.

"It's a strange feeling.", he started, "Like you get sick … only better. You just feel happy, but you don't know why …", he explained his feelings.  
"Yeah, yeah, can we jump that part? I know what you mean.", the human continued to poke and showed him with his hand motions to go on.

The fox wasn't pleased with that but went on, "It is just the way she is. The way she laughs, the way she talks, the way she moves. Just all of it …".

John chuckled a bit, "What's so funny?"  
"So then it is really something serious?", John asked.  
"I think so ...", the fox sighted.

"But she is a very special girl.", he acted like he pushed something up his chest.  
"So she put of her chest armor?".

"Oh yeah … It's just a wonder that she can even breath with it on.", he said with a big grin.  
John eyes widened, when he thought of that image he just got described.

Now Ronald was the one, who laughed:  
"You really bought that from me?", he asked amused.  
"Somehow I have to say … yes.":  
Ronald laughed a bit and went back to the topic, "But seriously. She is kind and has that sweet smile. I can't do less than being attracted by her."

"I wish you good luck then.", John said to end the conversation.  
"Thanks."

Much to the humans regret, the young fox had listened to him good and had connected the strings, "Now I have to ask you about something."  
"Shoot it."  
"If you don't want Stella, and I have to tell you, she looks damn good, when she isn't in such a mood, then you must have found someone else.", he again smiled a bit.

"I swear by everything … by god!", he admonished him with a clenched fist, "If you ask me who it is, I will kick your ass that hard that you can chew my boots!"  
"Fine, fine, I give up.", he gave up snickering, "But you could give me at least a tip … couldn't you …?"

John kept silent and just acted.

The only things, which were noticeable was the sound of metal hitting metal and a young blue fox who was rubbing his backside.

It slowly got dark again and John thought it was about time to talk to his team, "Well, I think it is necessary to keep watch tonight, in turns so that not everyone will be tired tomorrow."  
Sabrina rose her hand, John just had to look at her and she started, "Why do we need a sentinel?", Darker smacked her face with her flat hand.

"It's pretty easy, because we got attacked by these two guys and because we didn't kill them I'm sure they will come back with some of their friends and I'm sure you don't want to get caught by a horde of Sharpclaw, when you are asleep, do you?", when he had ended Sabrina kept silent, probably stunned by her own ignorance.

"I voluntary take the second or third shift, I won't sleep this night anyway.", John acknowledged. Sabrina again rose her hand, "I would like to take the third shift, if you don't mind."  
"Alright.", John said short.

Right after that Ronald took the word, "Then I want to take the last shift."  
"Fine, but remember, you have to wake us."

After that he turned to Darker, "Is it alright to you … we still can swap?"  
"No, it's alright.", she interrupted him and appeared the same time a bit nicer.  
"Well then, ladies first. Your shift starts, when the sun goes down.", John decided and sat down again.

It was as silent as before, but one thing didn't let go of him, "Are you alright with that?"  
"What do you mean?", Ronald and Sabrina almost asked at the same time.  
"That I took over the control. Doesn't that bother you no bit?", he asked confused.

"Not a bit.", Sabrina started, "She's right, you do a good job.", Ronald agreed. Darker kept silent, but showed with a short gaze into his eyes that she agreed as well.  
"Why do you ask?", Sabrina dug deeper.  
"It's nothing, I was just confused that's all. At my place everyone always wanted to lead the way … All this is just new for me."

Ronald smacked his shoulder when everyone was silent again, "When I got any complains, then I'll just take over the command."  
"Hah, I wanna see that.", the human replied amused.  
"Hey, I can be serious too, well, when I want. At the moment I'm just not in the mood that's all …", he said and John smirked a bit.

At last the sun went down and Darker went on her post. John followed her, because he wanted to state something.  
Ronald again made some devoutly gestures, but John just ignored him and didn't recognize, how the two of them again closed up to each other.

She stood at the entrance of the second dome, but in the shadow so that nobody was able to see her.  
"So, what did you tell her?", John asked, but she only answered him with silence, "I'm sorry, really, but I told you that there already is someone."  
"Sefilia …", she mumbled.  
"What?"

She just stared at him, anger positively written in her face, "Don't make a fool out of yourself, you are together with Sefilia!"  
"I don't know what you mean.", he lied.  
"She is not the only one, who can read minds, you know?".

John dropped his head and cursed silently.  
"I do understand, why you like her … She is older and prettier than I. She really likes you …"  
"But how … "  
"I know that?", she added the sentence and went on, with a calmer voice, "I watch you for quite a while now and read your thought here and then."  
"How long?", John was slightly shocked and surprised.  
"Since the day you had arrived. First it was just curiosity, but then I saw the memories of your past. My boyfriend had left shortly before, because of another girl and then I saw that you felt the same pain, like I do."

"And why didn't you come to me and talked to me?"  
"I didn't dare. You were a stranger and because of that everyone excluded you. I didn't want to get let alone by the others, because I talked to you.", her voice started to become more and more sadder.

"You should count yourself lucky.", he said to her, while he was smiling.  
"I should count myself lucky, because my boyfriend left me and everyone hates me?", the tears were clearly visible in her eyes.

"First of all, nobody hates you. You just think that, because a shitty guy left you and now you feel like shit. You are a pretty girl, your friend was a real douchbag for breaking up with you, because of whatever it was.", he saw, how the tears were disappearing, she seemed to understand, what he meant.

"I on the other side really got hated by everyone, but I'm pretty sure you already know why."  
She nodded, "Your father."

"And when you look now at the thoughts of other people, you'll see that many people like you. Sabrina likes, even Ronald likes you, even though if he doesn't show it and I don't have to extra mention it that I like you as well, do I?"

Stella had to laugh a bit, "If you weren't a soldier you would be a great headshrinker. And when Sefilia brushes you off one day, there is always a free place at my side for you.", she said with a teasing voice.

John again smiled, "Sorry, but as it looks, it goes good for the two of us.", he answered, to not make her hopes that big, "I wanted to ask you for a favor …"  
"I won't tell anybody, don't worry. Because, when they lock you away, I won't have something of you later on.", again she tried to seduce him with a wink.

"Another thing, before I leave you alone. How do we do the shift change, without time measure?"  
"Easy, just come here for a second, I show you something.", John first hesitated, because he was afraid of another, more intense flirt of her side.  
"Come here already, I won't bite.", she dragged him at his wrist and pointed with her finger at the edge of the horizon.

First John wasn't able to see what she meant, then she suddenly pushed him closer to her so that his face went in line with her hand.  
"A star?"  
It was more a small little dot hovering over the horizon.

"This star is very special.", Stella explained, "It's the only one that always moves the same way over the horizon. It's an old trick my grandfather told me, the others know it too. Just mention it and they know what to do."  
John was too concentrated on the star and didn't see what was coming.

She placed fast a soft kiss on his cheek and went back into cover, "Didn't I just …":  
"Just a little thanks for opening my eyes."  
"But leave it with that, okay?", John asked hopefully.  
"Maybe.", she said and giggled a bit amused.

"Have fun during your watch and wake me up, when I'm in charge."  
"I will."  
"I better take a look after the others, before I disturb then during some serious business.", again she just answered him with a giggle what made John a bad feeling.

"Fine guys …", when he said it to Stella it was more a joke, but he really seemed to disturb them in a serious situation.  
He seemed to interrupt a long, deep kiss between the two of them.

When they saw him they blushed and parted each other as fast as possible. The both foxes where that much ashamed that they just starred on the ground.

They were silent and after a short while John started to chuckle, "If it's that shameful for the both of you, I just go again and wait until someone dares to talk to me again.", he went some steps back to the hallway, before he again turned his head a bit.

"And do me a favor and watch out, I know that they throw us out, when someone dies, but I don't know what will happen, when we are one more, when we come back.", the human didn't even know that blue foxes could turn that red.

He went back to Stella who greeted him with a little tease.  
John told her what just happened, what amused the vixen as well.  
He just went back to her to tell her that he will sleep in the corridor.

It was pretty dark and he no other choice, but to use his extra magazines as light source. They weren't bright, but he was able to see walls, roots and moss that hung from the walls.

All he could do now, was to sit down and make himself comfortable and put some moss under his backside and some roots in his neck and close his eyes.

It wasn't easy to sleep in the cold air and thought a bit about Sefilia.  
He hoped that Siren told her that they dazed him and threw him into the wild, else wise he would be pretty much fucked.

She already got the message in the morning, but as the letter said, she should come to the barracks when the sun went down and so she did.  
The letter said, she would have a conversation with captain Wolferos and he would ask her questions, about her past and where she would come from.

The pink cat was waiting in the entrance hall and to kill some time she looked a bit around and watched, how the few people, who still were working did their jobs.  
Because she would meet 'the great captain Wolferos', that's how Beseril called him, he made her wear a more formal attire, but not a dress, like in the palace.  
She wore a blue shirt and blue shorts with Cerinian symbols on it.

Beseril didn't told her, what was so special about these clothes, he only said that she should were something more Cerinian like and not her jeans and belly free top.

For Katt it felt like an eternity until finally someone suddenly stood in front of her and told her to follow him.  
They walked into the back part of the building, past the sleeping rooms and past the weapon chambers.  
The person who led the way appeared to be a normal soldier, not a messenger or a servant and he didn't say much, only showed her the way, when she lost him shortly during her exploration.

He brought her to a small room with a wooden table and two chairs in its mid. There was only one lamp dangling from the roof and that directly over the table.  
The pink cat didn't feel like a guest anymore, more like a prisoner who would get water boarded soon.

She was asked to sit down, captain Wolferos would be with her soon.

Again she was bored and was tapping a melody that shot through her head with her fingers on the table. She also took a bit care of her tail that somehow was a bit dusty. She didn't know, if it came from the street or that old part of the building that didn't seemed to get cleaned for centuries.

After a time that seemed to take like ages the door behind her suddenly opened and someone came in.

Katt didn't saw his face, but she was sure that it was Sefilias brother.

He first saw him, when he went into the light of the lamp and moved the chair aside.  
He starred at her with the same casualness as her friends described him, even if Beseril told her that he would be more attractive.

He wore normal attire, no armor, no weapons, just a shirt, formal pants and shoes.

Before he said any word he threw an old dossier on the table and scattered its files on the wooden plate.  
Most of them were just sketches, but she also noticed one or the other photo of Cornerian.

"More than 20 years had passed, since the first of you had arrived. Why _are_ you here?", he said cold, while looking at her.  
"I already told your people …", she tried to explain, but got interrupted.  
"Then tell me again why.", he requested her.

Because she didn't wanted to give him all the details as he already did to the million other people who asked her, since she had arrived, she gave him the short version, "I came to this planet to destroy an enemy weapon convoy that planed to land on this planet."

"And why did we found you in one of their ships?", he continued to ask.

"Because I have stolen it …", but before she was able to end her sentence she again got interrupted, by Sabre who hit the table with his flat hands.  
"Why should we then believe a thief, who doesn't even honor our traditions!"

Something just snapped in the young femalses brain, "Woah, wait a second! Thief ! I just saved your furred ass and that's the thank!", Sabre was just about to counter, but the young and now enraged cat didn't give him a chance.  
"PLUS I respect your people, but I can't play your stupid game, when no one tells me the frikkin rules!"

"You are nothing more than a respectless little brat!", Sabre shouted back, when he heard the words that came out of the young girls mouth.  
"And you are just a retarded wanna be Leroy Jethro Gibs!", Sabre didn't knew who or what that is, but decided it would be better to get back to topic.

"Who are you working for and what was your mission!", he now shouted more and again smashed his hand on the table.

"I am Katt Monroe and my mission was to shoot down those transporters!", she shouted back.

"Liar!"

"Hah.", she laughed snidely, "Fuck you."

"What was that?", he said with a silent noise and perked up his ears.

"Are you as stupid as you look? I said Fuck … you.", she spelled the last two words extra slowly.

She had expected something else, but a big smile slowly spread over his face and he laugh.  
Katt didn't know, what was going on.  
The young fox was getting louder any second and turned around.  
"Siren already warned me that you would be a little pest, when we would meet, but I didn't expect that."

He tried to be friendly. To Katt it seemed that he would be the good and the bad cop in one person.

"To make one point clear.", Katt started again, after Sabre had turned back to her, "I … don't … like … _you_."  
"That's the first time we meet, isn't it?", he said, while sitting down.

"That's true, but as you may know too, I know your sister Sefilia and John.", his smile disappeared, when he heard the humans name.  
"I see."

In a blink of an eye, the table was crashing against the wall and papers were flying through the air and scattered around the ground.

Katt wasn't impressed a bit, she had seen guys like him hundreds of times before. This wasn't the first time, someone tried to daunt her.  
She had expected more threat from him, but now he just put on the bad mood, he always does around John, went out of the room and closed the door with a loud bang.

The young feline was even more confused than before.

Some moments later the door opened again and Siren showed up.  
"Sorry about that.", she said with a cocky smile, "Luckily we have expected something like that, or else you could go home again right now.", The vixen also wore a more civil attire that was totally not hiding her female attributes, these clothes were as tight as her leather strip under dress for her armor.

"So that happens more often with him?", Katt asked interested.

"Because he is one of the leading forces in the military. He is stressed, he didn't sleep in days and that was the first time he showed any emotions for weeks!"

"So he isn't always that bad mooded?"

"God no.", Siren answered a bit shocked, "I know Sabre since the days, when we were young. Back then he was always happy and laughed. But after the death of his mother he decided to get cold and show no longer anything except his cold self. So please don't blame him, it's not his fault."

"Sorry, I didn't know that. Sefilia didn't tell us about that."

A moment later there was a knocking at the door and one of the soldiers came in, "Captain Wolferos is back in his quarters. I hope you are alright.", he asked Katt.  
"Yes, thanks.", Katt said and rubbed her elbows a bit.

"Officer Calim, these are the documents you wished for.", he walked over to Siren and handed her a second folder, probably with the same documents in it as the ones that were lying on the ground now.  
"Thanks, go back to your post again."  
"Ye ma`am.", he bowed slightly down and went out of the room.

"I'm sorry, you still have to do this, but we need these information."

"I can understand this.", Katt nodded and Siren scattered the same pictures in front of her as Sabre did.

While she was looking at the pictures Siren asked her some questions, "How many people do know that you are here?"  
"Only three and they first can come, when I get my ship back to send them the correct coordinates of this planet."  
"Are you sure that only one transporter came through"?  
"Absolutely, the rest of them were out of control and burned down in the atmosphere."

She grabbed another, older picture of a young hound dog in his new red uniform, "Could that be? Is that really our general Pepper?"  
"So he is still in charge?"  
"Yup and the old man is still doing his job as great as always."  
The vixen smiled a bit, "Good to her, we only heard good things about him."

Directly after that picture came another person, Katt just knew too well.

She slipped it over to Siren, "This is the asshole who owned the transporters."  
Siren took a fast look at the bad mooded monkey in the white lab coat.

"Andros Oikonny?", Siren read out loud from the back of the picture.

"I don't know what exactly happened, but as far as I know, he went completely insane and because of his highly dangerously experiments he got banned from Corneria and sent to Venom.", Katt knew what the vixen wanted to ask next, "And I went there to see what he does."

"And only three people know about that?"  
"We are mercenaries and that was a secret mission the Cornerian military gave us."

"A secret mission for four kids?", Siren laughed a bit non reliable.

"We proofed our selves often in the past and because the best team was already on a mission, we were the second choice."

"I see.", she made some notes on a paper.

"So, are all your weapons like yours?", the vixen asked next.

"Pretty much, some are bigger and get mounted on battleships or fighters."  
"So you want to tell me that we are pretty much fucked, when one of those battleships attacks our planet?"  
"Yeah, I just wanted to sound nice.", she tried to stay calm, even if it sounds somehow funny, if an older person has such a dirty mouth like her.

Katt had to yawn a bit. Since the adrenalin has been gone she got tired fast.  
"Is that all for today?", she asked, while stretching herself a bit.

"I think so. It was just a fast update for our data. We don't want to say it out loud, but since the day Mr. Wolferos had arrived on our planet, our military fears an attack we won't survive.", the vixen said earnest and clinched her hand around the pencil.

"I can see, if we can send some support for you, when I am back on Corneria.", the young feline said and patted her hand slightly.

"Thanks, but I don't know, if we won't even be able to get your ship back."  
"Sefilia already told me about that unbreakable, heavily guarded fortress thing."

Siren packed the files together and accompanied Katt out of the front entrance.  
She handed her a hand and Katt shook it, "I don't know, if you should tell Sefilia about what happened back there with Sabre."

Katt raised her hands, "Don't worry, I can keep a secret, but I'm not sure, if I can hide it from her mind reading."

"I see, but I'm sure she will handle it. At least she is the one, who mixes the medicine he needs here and then.", Siren explained, "I just don't hope that she will give him an overdose of the relaxing stuff, or else he will be pretty flattered the next few days.", Siren chuckled a bit.  
"Oh isn't that, what you want?", Katt teased her, when she noticed the little blush on the vixens face.

"Come on.", she pushed her out of the door, "Little girls should have such thought in that sweet age."

A strange noise woke him up and the first thing he did, was to grab his sword.  
"Hey John, are you awake?", he sighted a bit and dropped his weapon again on the ground.  
"What's up Ronald?", he asked the fox, after he yawned loud.

"I wanted to say sorry for what happened in the dome."  
"And? Where is Sabrina?", he asked and blinked a bit with his eyes to get used to the darkness.

"She is asleep. It was a bit awkward for her. And because I couldn't let her alone I waited until she slept tight.", the foxes explained calm.  
"So, you kept on doing it?"  
"Not exactly.", the fox blushed a bit, "We talked a bit about what happened …"  
"And?"  
"We decided to wait, until we are back in the capital. After that we put our arms around each other and then I waited until she slept.", he finally ended.

"So I can rely on you that you will concentrate and stay tuned? … For the mission of course …", he added chuckling, after he noticed the suggestiveness.

"We will do our best.", Ronald said unsure.

"Yes or no?", the human got a bit more serious and crossed his arms.  
The fox was a bit shocked, "I'm sorry that I have to be so serious, but you quasi elected me to the leader and I have to bear the responsibility if anything happens. If you haven't noticed it yet, we can die here!"

They kept a bit silent after John's last sentence.  
Ronald sighted out loud and sat down besides the human, "I know and that's why I try to ignore it."  
"You can't get used to it, huh?", he slowly understood, what the young fox meant and got a bit settled.

"In the first few hours on Cerinia I already had to decide between kill or get killed. It wasn't easy, but when you have to decide between them and you and with all the people that you can save, when you kill them you can make it."

"This was actually the first time I thought about that since what had happened in the jungle.", Ronald admitted.

Again they both were silent, only after a sharp breeze blew through the hallway Ronald started the talk again, "I keep that in mind. I hope it helps.", the fox thanked John.  
"You should better go back to your girl, I'm sure she will miss you.", he said with a smile and pushed the fox to stand up.  
"I'm sure she will freak out, when she suddenly makes out with a stone and not with you."  
The fox greeted him a last time, with a little chuckle and disappeared in the darkness of the corridor again.

He turned around to get at least some sleep before it was his turn. But suddenly someone was leaning against his right, "Stella, what are you doing here? It's impossible …"  
"It's your turn now, have fun!", she just said to him and turned around.

He sighted loud, stood up and dragged his sword after himself, but Stella just giggled after he wished her a good night.

As John had expected it was even colder than in the corridor and everything was dark and as Stella probably did, he starred into the dark and at the stars to remember how late it was.

He really didn't expect that it would be that boring.  
He only stood or sat there, starred into the dark and drew to every noise he heard his sword. But there only were critters that crawled over the ground or the wind that broke the one or another weak branch of the trees.  
Every time it was a false alarm he hoped the three Bafomdads would jump out of the bushes and into his arms to kill some time with him.

Finally, after a felt eternity the star had reached its highest point and John jumped up to wake Sabrina

He used his sword to spend him some light and on the way back he had watch out, not to step on Stella's tail and to risk to get killed.

When he had found the way into the dome and he saw that they came a bit closer to each other than expected.

They laid besides each other and had wrapped their arms around their partner.  
The couple smiled happily and slept on a pile of leaves.

John watched out that he didn't made too many needles noises and tapped Sabrina's shoulder slightly, "Hey what the …"  
"Pst."  
John interrupted her cheerfulness, "It's just me. It's your turn."

"Fine.", she growled silently and moved Ronalds arm aside without waking him up.

He snored a bit loud and turned around to the other side.

He knew, he would regret it. John went with Sabrina through the hallway and gave her some last hints to stay awake.  
He wished her luck, when they arrived at the sleeping Stella.

The human shook his head and sighted out loud and sat down besides the sleeping vixen and leaned his shoulder against hers.  
He didn't notice it, but at the same moment the young girl started to smile.

The tiredness he had collected over the night made it easier for him to fall asleep. Luckily he didn't have a nightmare, John would have felt awkward, when he would get shook awake, by a fist in his face, when he accidently hit the vixen besides him.

The next morning he got shook softly awake and got greeted by two foxes with a big smile on their faces.  
John yawned a bit, "Mornin'"  
"Morning John. Sorry that we have to wake the two of you, but I think that we should go now."  
"No problem, but why the hell are you …", John was just about to stand up, when he realized the weight on his lap.

John hit himself in his face and cursed silently, "You really can't give up, do you?".  
Stella had put her head into his lap and still dreamed happily.

He started to poke her applied ears, "Hey Stella, could you please wake up?"  
It took a while until her ear started to twitch, "You don't have to pretend to sleep, I know that you are awake."  
"But it's _so_ comfortable down here, can't I stay here for a while longer?", she had turned to John, ignored the other two and starred directly into his eyes.

"Sorry, but we have to keep on moving or do you want that the Sharpclaw to catch us?"  
"Bummer ...", she raised herself and stretched her arms.

"Hi guys. And, slept good?", she greeted her two comrades, who witnessed their short conversation.  
"Yes, thanks for asking. And how did you sleep John?"  
"Note it down. She sailed in on me."  
"Whatever.", the young fox said and rolled his eyes.

The human thought it would be a better idea to not say another word, or else he had to hurt his friend… again.

"Alright, take everything we need with you. We have to get out of here."  
"We already did that, while the two of you took an extra long nap.", the young fox said and presented his full bag.  
While that John had to concentrate himself not to jump at his friends throat.

They decided to walk through the jungle again, because the street was too dangerous at day.  
Stella again tried to charm John and the human did his best whether to ignore or to block her.

Despite all that he didn't miss that the couple behind them was whispering things into each others ears and then started to laugh again.  
He wasn't sure, if they talked about him and Stella, or about their own relationship and their plans.

They kept on talking for a while, but only kept silent, when Stella took a little brake in bothering John and went back to them to hear what they were saying.

Somehow he had a conversation with Stella in mind, he never had.  
As it seemed, she told him that she doesn't like to read minds unless it really is necessary.  
That fact let him shutter a bit.

They made a little break on a clearance to recover, to drink and eat something.  
John sat on a stone, he didn't know what it was, but he had a bad feeling about it. Something should have happened since the attack from yesterday, but it didn't.  
"Stella, could you come over her for a second?", he said, without letting the others know about his negative thoughts.  
"Coming.", she said with a little singing in her voice.

She leaned in for a kiss, but John parried her gently with his hand and instead whispered something in her ear, "I don't want to worry the others, but I think we are getting watched. Could you check that?", her before happy smile disappeared and got replaced by a serious expression.  
She stayed a moment, still bowing down to John and tried to realize any presences around the area.  
"I can't find a thing."

John nodded understanding and Stella went back to the others and gave her best to smile happy again.

"Listen up folks. I think we should keep on moving until this is over.", John said a bit later.  
"You think so?", Ronald asked disbelieving.  
"We should at least hide somewhere and not present us on a open field.", John argument and Ronald seemed to understand.  
"When we find our enemy, we should be sure that we see them first and not the other way round.", he went on and the rest of the team agreed to him.

Ronald was the first one, who jumped into the bushes. He disappeared behind the first bush, but something was wrong.  
He made a bit too much noise for a single person, "Ron?", not even a second later he literally flew out of his hiding place in front of the feed of his friends.

He almost tackled down John and hit the ground hard.  
The human just handed him his hand to help the fox back on his feet.

"Watch out!", Ronald tried to warn his friends, but John already saw what happened.

* * *

**_Author notes:_**

**_Sorry for letting you waiting that long, but the preparation for my final examina turned out to be more stressful than expected.  
Anyways, I am back and I will try hard to go on with my stories._**

**_Unfortunately I had a little trouble with my beta reader, so this time the correction was done by me._**

**_I hope you had fun in reading ;)_**

**_See you around._**


	19. Pain

**Chapter 19****  
Pain**

Three of the hooded persons of the day before came out of the bushes, with drawn weapons. Now that he got a closer look on them, their weapons looked similar to the Cerinian staffs, they were just green and shorter.

The young group of soldiers drew their weapons, when they saw who they were facing.  
Unfortunately their situation got even worse.

Seconds later more enemies swarmed out of the environment around them and surrounded the teenagers.

John and his team were at least 3 to 1 outmanned.  
He didn't see any options.

If they would have fought, they would be dead in a blink of an eye and if they would give up he wouldn't know what would happen to them.

But then something happened, John didn't expect, "Give up, you have no chance. If you resist, you will die!", their leader said, with a rough voice.  
"What should we do John?", Sabrina whispered to him desperately.

He had to think. Some things just didn't fit together.  
He already had met Sharpclaw, of course just for a short time, but they didn't act like the lizards.

From one to the other moment he felt, like he just could slap his face, the human couldn't believe how stupid he has been.  
Then he suddenly had to laugh and lowered his blaster, "Put your weapons down guys."  
"Are you nuts!", the group hissed at him shocked.  
"These are our enemies!", Stella almost shouted at him.

"Not exactly.", he put his weapon back to his holster and crossed his arms.

"Unfortunately you made four mistakes, four fatal mistakes.", John started.  
"What are you doing?", Ronald asked him confused.  
John ignored his teammate and went on, "The Sharpclaw never had such weapons and would never stay that calm.", the others didn't understand him, only Stella assumed what he was up to.  
"Since when do Sharpclaw speak the Cerinian tongue that perfectly? And why wasn't Stella able to sense your thoughts?", it was silent, only John smirked affirmative.

"Do you think …?", Sabrina asked shocked.  
"Right! Nobody is able to know, how to block his or her own thoughts … Nobody except a Cerinian!"

Again it was silent. Ronald was the only one, who dared to break the silent situation, "Are you totally crazy now?", he said, while still pointing his weapon at their opponents.

It was too silent and everyone of the group except John prepared to get attacked any second.  
Everyone had a serious expression except the smiling John.

The hooded persons and the group of John threw gazes at each other, nobody had expected such a situation.

They all turned around when they suddenly heard someone clapping.  
Like someone said the secret word, the rest of the covered enemies did that as well and Sabrina, Stella and Ronald didn't know, what they should think about that.

"Come on guys, put your weapons away, the test is over.", the others didn't listen.

"He is right, you have passed."  
It was one of the persons that had clapped. She removed the cloak and the bandages.  
"Officer Calim!", the three sprung to attention and saluted to Siren, who smiled amused.  
John did shortly after them the same, not that he lost his manners.

The rest of their pretended enemies put down their cloaks and bandages underneath and clapped for the successors.  
"Wow, even I didn't expect you underneath that costume officer Calim.", John admitted impressed, but Siren just giggled a bit.  
"Come on kid, you can call me Siren in front of your friends as long as Sabre isn't around. Now that you have worked that well you have acquired the right to do that."  
"Thanks Siren.", again she smiled pleased.

"Alright ladies and gentleman, it's about time that we leave and go back to the capital.", Siren ordered and the soldiers walked their way back into the wild.  
"I hope that we don't have to walk the whole way back.", Ronald thought out loud.  
"At the edge of the training court are our Pa'li. We don't want to reach the capital in the next century, do we?", Siren answered, "Just follow the others."

The three greeted her a last time and followed the rest of them into the jungle.

John was the only one, who was left, "I've got some questions.".  
"Sure, I'll answer them on the way back.", she said amused, she had expected that.

"Where should I start?", John thought out loud, when they passed the first few bushes, "Oh, yeah, why did you use sleeping pills?"  
"It was one of Sabres ideas. He wanted to make it more interesting. People are more under psychological pressure, when they don't know where to go."  
John nodded understanding, even if Sabre dropped even deeper in his valuation.

"Don't worry about your girlfriend. While you were getting your weapons I went to her and told her anything. At least she is the sister of our captain and should know about things like that.", she winked at him and then chopped down a branch of a tree in her way.

"Well, second question. The exchange of the crystals was understandable, but why did you only attack us two times, even if you were so many?"  
"It may be easy to understand, why we swapped the crystals that you don't get hurt, but much more important, they suppress the metal so that it won't stick to the first person it touched so that we can smelt them again when the recruit gives up.", she explained while orientating herself.  
"Plus, the woman that checked your weapon got hit by a shot and wasn't able to see for quite a while."

John chuckled a bit, "I told her to watch out.".

"The attacks were just some kind of penalty, when you did something wrong.", she explained, "The bigger the mistake, the bigger was the attack."

"So I screwed up pretty much, huh?"  
"Nah.", she made a small movement with her hand, "You did pretty fine, it was a test, how you would handle the situation.", she continued, "And I have to say, you have your team pretty good under control. But I didn't expect your action back there at all."  
"You know me, I can't help myself about that.", he said and grinned a bit.

"Normally there are only senseless massacres or surrendering, but I think we can let you pass too."

"It's just a thought, but what did Stella and Sabrina do wrong?", John asked her, while climbing over a big rock.  
"They just didn't watch their cover, that's all."

"By the way, where did you get that in your face? That weren't our guys, where they?", she asked and pointed at the wound in his face.  
"No that was Stella. There was some kind of misunderstanding.", John tried to explain, without mentioning the kiss.

"What kind of misunderstanding?", she asked further.  
"Private stuff."  
"I see …", she threw a cocky smile at him and crossed her arms, John just rolled his eyes.

They walked some miles through the jungle, when they reached a relatively big camp. There were some tends and stables.  
"Since the start of the test we scattered these camps all over the jungle, to keep an eye on the area and you.", Siren mentioned, while she helped John to choose a mount.

She gave everyone some supplies and the chance to relieve themselves and the headed back to the capital.

The ride was pretty boring and John noticed that the rest of his team didn't ride the Pa'li for the first time.

On their way back they met more teams and groups of recruits who had passed the test and the ones who didn't.  
Siren also explained that Sabre lied about the only try to become a soldier, he wanted to put more pressure on them.

Back in the capital the rest of the soldiers applauded them and different persons waited for their friends and family members.

At the stables waited Sefilia, Katt, Beseril and Adaril for the human to greet him.

"What did happen to you?", Sefilia asked appalled, when she saw the wound that spread all over his face.  
"That's a longer story, I tell you later about it."

The new soldiers assembled themselves at the training court for the last time at that day.  
"Good work friends. I'm happy to see that so many of you have passed the acceptance test.", Sabre appeared to be happier than before, "Even the ones, who didn't made it today can try it next year, if they want.", he looked through the rows of the new soldiers, it seemed that he was looking for someone.

John already guessed, for whom he was looking for.

There was a short moment of silence, when he found the human, before he continued his talk again, "Now you are full members of the royal army and you are allowed to wear your armor and weapons outside the training court.", some people were clapping, when he again paused his talk.

"In the course of the following days, we will finalize the rite and you will get your own armor.", again the people clapped.

"When we need you, we will send you a message with your orders, but till then. Fare thee well.", he saluted a last time in front of them. They did the same.  
The young captain went back into the quarters.

After Sabre was gone, lot's of talking started between the new soldiers. As it seemed John wasn't the only one who got hurt and he also didn't got the worst wounds.

John said goodbye to his teammates and went back to his friends, "I am happy that you are alright John.", the young vixen was the first one, who started to talk.  
"Siren told me anything."  
"That was a pretty dastard of Sabre.", Katt commented.

"That wasn't really okay of him, the others are not even half as hard to the soldiers as he is.", Beseril added.

"The others?", John asked curious.  
"Well, didn't we tell you about that?", Sefilia dug deeper, "To be honest, no."

"All in all, we do have twelve.", Adaril said, while he climbed on top of a barrel close to them.  
"One for every part of the city."  
"Everyone gets the recruits of his part of the city.", Sefilia added.

Adaril wanted to take a closer look at Johns armor, so he put of one of the arm pieces and handed it to the kid fox.

"And all the time, only one of them gets on our nerves.", Katt said pissed.  
"Why so aggressive?", John asked.

"I had a short talk with him. First he flirted with me and then he pissed off, when I shooed him away. Siren had to do it then."  
"It wasn't enough for him that Krystal believed you, huh?", John asked.  
"It seems so.", the young cat paused a moment.

"Anyways, now he helps to evacuate the people."  
"But still it will take them a while, until everyone is save. Because of the recent Sharpclaw activities there are soldiers among the convoys to secure them.", Beseril said, "But we don't have enough soldiers for all convoys it will at least need double the time to finish everything."  
"We asked Siren, if she could give you a post in the city, as long as the evacuation is on, because we didn't wanted to lose you again Johnny-Boy!", Katt again said and punched his arm.

"Thanks.", the human just said, while he rubbed the spot, where she had hit him with her kncukles.  
The only things he knew now, where that he was awfully tired, despite his good night sleep and he first had to handle the latest events.

They again had divide themselves.  
His friends were indeed thrilled, what he could tell them about his survival in the cold, dark jungle, but Beseril had to continue his work on his collection and needed Adarils and Katts help.

John and Sefilia where back in her house and she just cleaned the scratches in his face with alcohol, "So, how did that happen? Siren said that they stunned you."  
"That was Stella.", he explained, while he endured the burning pain in his face.  
"And why did she do that?"  
He just tried to figure out how he should tell her, "Argh, you'll find it out anyways."

The human told her, what had happened, the fight against the hooded Cerinian soldiers, the small lunch after and his fight with Stella.  
He made a short stop when he reached the point in the dome.

"And?", Sefilia teased him, by swishing her tail in his face.  
"Well I didn't watch out for a second and then … well she … kissed me.", the human closed his eyes, because he was feared about what would come next.

"She did WHAT!", the vixen almost exploded and stood up.

"I pushed her away, in the second I realized it … I told her that I couldn't do that and then she did that.", John pointed at his face, the wound was burning, because of the alcohol, "But I was able to calm her down."

The vixen didn't know, if she should be angry on him or feel sorry for him, but they had other worries, "Did you told her about us?"  
"That wasn't necessary, she can read minds as well."  
Now she was scared and her tail started to ruffle up, "Do you think that she will tell the others?"

"That's the point.", the human started to explain again, "She won't tell the others, because … well…"  
"What did you do John?", she asked and despite her believes she feared the worst.  
"She fell in love with me.", the human sighted.

Sefilia dropped her jaw, John hugged her slightly and kissed her on her soft cheek to calm her down again.  
She was speechless and so he decided to tell her the rest of the story, "She said that she wants to wait, until you leave me. It indeed was a long and difficult process, but now she will leave me alone now."

It really wasn't the right moment, but John had to laugh a bit, "So you shouldn't believe her, when she says something about us, she did all alone."

She had calmed down again and had herself now under control again, she answered Johns hug and pushed herself against Johns chest, "What did she do?", she asked and looked into his eyes.

"When I slept, she … snuggled up to me."  
"WHAT?"

The next day they ordered John back to the administration building. He was one of the first who got his armor.

They were about twenty. Ronald, who was happy to see him again, was also in his group. The thrilled fox told him that he and Sabrina went to his parents at the same day, they liked her and that was a good sign.

That day Siren took care of the young soldiers, because Sabre and his team were disengaged.

"Alright folks, today you will get your own armors so that you don't have to walk around with these old things anymore.", Siren announced after everyone had arrived.  
"But before we start you have to add something to your armor. The item itself will be destroyed, but will continue existing in the armor.", John indeed some things, like his adherer and the jacket of his father, but he couldn't sacrifice them.

"If you don't have something, you could also just cut off some of your hair."

The human was more than eased.  
"It doesn't matter what you take, as long as it is from you.".

Only a few were prepared for that. That was indeed one of those secrets of the soldiers, even Sefilia didn't knew about, or she just wasn't interested into things like that, or she simply forgot to tell him about that.

"And also let your weapons here, we have to fix them again. You don't want to try to kill Sharpclaw with a stun weapon, do you?", the recruits did, as their leader said and handed over the weapons, they had brought with themselves.  
It was funny that again the same two foxes took the weapons, as at the day they had the survival test.

The vixen threw an angry glare at the human and he had to smile, "I had warned you."  
"Shut up.", she answered the moment he had ended his sentence, what made him grin even more.

The group went back to the forges, where John and Ronald had been before and as he had already expected, John and the fox got sent to Ronald's uncle.

The old, muscular fox was happy, to see the both of them again and greeted his nephew with a bone crushing hug.  
John declined embarrassed when the old fox turned to him.  
He wanted to be gentle, but he didn't wanted to let Sefilia glue his bones together again.

The smith had already prepared anything. At one side stood several molds for the chest armor and two pots filled with molten, red glowing metal that hung over two flames  
He first grabbed one of the molds and took a look, if it fit John or Ronald.

When it wasn't the case that it didn't fit anyone of them, he took the next bigger size.

Finally he found for both of the young soldiers the fitting form and he ordered them to throw their things into the melting pots. Both threw some of their hair into the pots and watched out that the fox didn't confound them.

The old Cerinian started, as John thought, with the chest armor.

The smith did his first swings with the black smith hammer, when he turned to the young men, "As long as I have business here, you have to watch the pots and keep the metal molten."

John didn't knew, what he should do with the pots, the only thing he knew is that he could put more firewood under it.  
Ron had watched his uncle making armor before so he exactly knew, what they had to do.  
He explained John how he was able to control the fire and how he could put the logs in the fire so that it would get hot enough.

Ronald's uncle always forged the parts one after the other so that one of them wasn't able to leave, before both of them weren't finished.

The human didn't remember much of the forging, only that it was hot, the sound of cracking fire and a forging hammer hitting metal plates over and over again.

Finally John and Ron stood in front of their shining armors and they barely could await the O.k. to take them on.  
But they had to stay calm for a while, because the new armors still were hot and they first had to get cooled down.  
The smith grabbed one of the armors with fireproof gloves, put them, with a fizzling sound into a pot of water and them put them aside to grab the next one.

"Alright boys, here they are.", the old smith said after a while, when he suddenly placed the armors on stands in front of the two boys.  
They could barely await it and grabbed them as fast as they could.

As with the weapons before, symbols and notches glowed on the metal of Ronald's armor and slowly formed a pattern.

On the chest plate appeared three rings, which formed a triangular.  
They both stared with a glee on their faces on the glowing light.

The old fox laughed a bit and the two boys turned around to him, "That's the symbol of friendship. It shows that my nephew is a good person from the bottom of his heart."  
Ronald blushed a bit about what his uncle said.

As John had expected nothing happened to his armor. But still he found it awesome, the way the metal was glowing in the shine of the fire and it always radiated an aura that let him feel great.

Siren waited at a plaza at the handcraft quarters for the young soldiers and filled a list out.

She wrote down their names and how their symbols looked alike. She let space, when it was Johns turn.

As soon as the formalities where done, they got sent back to the barracks, where they should take their new modified weapons, along with their first task.  
It was an easy mission, they just had to patrol on one part of the big city wall and had to message strange happenings.

The shift was pretty boring. Here and there a swarm of birds rose from the jungle and also here and then a convoy from the jungle arrived and brought more people to the more and more overflowing city.  
That was the first time that John mentioned that the city got fuller.

When he reached Sefilias house he also noticed that it got fuller there. Lots of grown up Cerinians where waiting at the front door.

John pressed himself through the mass, some of them made a bit surprised space, because they saw the alien boy for the first time, and just at the moment he reached the wooden door Sefilia opened up.

"What are all these people doing here?", John asked after she had sent them in different parts of the house.  
"Since all these convoys reached the city, there was lots of trouble and confusion and many families lost sight of each other. They were looking for volunteers to help them."  
"I see … And how many are you housing here?"  
"Some …", she admitted satisfied.  
"Well, when they stay quiet ..."

A weak laugh escaped her muscle, "You could have a little problem there …"  
"Wheyyyyyyyy …", she got interrupted by the loud noises of three kids running besides them.  
A little girl, with a blue fox plush doll with beady eyes was tugging at Sefilias pants.  
Sefilia took the little on her arm and the little girl hugged her.

Just like the plush doll the little girl was covered in blue fur from her feet to the tip of her head.

Sefilia again had to laugh a bit, "I agreed to keep an eye on the kids.", the human had to shake his head and sighted.  
They would have a minute for themselves, until all kids were gone.

The little one on Sefilias arm turned to John, "Is he your boyfriend?".  
When John heard that form the tiny and innocent voice his mood got at least a bit better.

The coming days were troublesome for the young couple, they didn't have much time where they were alone.  
They just could talk to each other in the evening or when it was late and all the kids were already asleep.  
The young foxes and vixen slept in the living room in beds they got allocated.

For Johns own luck the kids were all old enough to entertain themselves and he or Sefilia were only needed, when there was a booboo to take care off.

The meals were bearable. Sefilia got a little help in the kitchen, because she wasn't able to cook for the 20 mouths which were to be fed.  
The dishes were often faster empty then filled, before the little foxes went outside again to play.

The kids often played catch with the Bafomdads in front of the house and when a kid fell on the ground and cried the plushy critters to solace them with cuddling.

Almost all kids slept in the living room, only the little girl, Sefilia had on her arm didn't want to sleep with the others, she wanted to sleep in Sefilias room.

Often Sefilia came to John, when she was asleep and cuddled with her plush doll.

They sat on Johns bed, which he slightly moved aside so that they were able to see the night sky and the blue moon, which was only visible for several nights in the year.  
"I don't know, what you thought, when you decided to take care of all these kids.", John said, without turning his head away of the blue disk.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, "They were alone, lonely and some of them even cried. What else should I have done, I wanted to take care of all these sad, cute faces and besides …", she looked up to the human.  
He soon mentioned her gaze and looked down on the beauty, he called his girlfriend.

When their eyes met she continued, " … besides, we can practice now a little bit."  
"Practice?", the human sound a bit surprised.

"For later dummy.", she said and kissed him softly.

"Sefilia …", a sad voice behind them suddenly said. They turned around fast and they saw the little girl, with her plush fox under her arm and little tears rolling down her cheeks.  
"Sefilia, I'm scared. Do you come back again please?", she wore one of Sefilias too long nightshirts and dragged it over the floor.  
"Yes, I'm coming Rose.", she went to the little Rose and lifted her up on her arm, "Good night John.".  
The girl yawned and they both wove John a good night.

John kept on starring on the moon for a while. He and kids … How that would be?

With their task on keeping an eye on the kids, she also agreed to teach the kids, because the local schools were overstrained at the moment.  
She only taught them the basics of maths and writing. She said that the complex investigation of microbes would be too complicated for the little girls and boys.

John also sat down in the class, because he still had to learn Cerinian. He felt silly to be a student of a playschool class where he was at least three foot taller than the rest of his classmates. But the rest of the class seemed not to care about him.

When the kids got bored Sefilia started a drawing lesson so that they got in a better mood again.

Their friends were wondering, where John and Sefilia were and paid them a surprise visit.  
Katt and Beseril were pretty surprised, when they saw the horde of kids running around in front of the house. Adaril was just happy and started to play with the new kids.  
Sefilia was alone and just had again Rose on her arms, "You two were hard-working since we were here the last time.", Katt started to tease the vixen again and put on a ckeeky grin.

Sefilia laughed a bit, "We just keep an eye on them. They lost their parents in all that trouble during the arrival of the convoys and they stay as long at our house as their parents come and get them."  
"You made yourself lots of trouble there darling.", Beseril said impressed.

"You are pretty.", a shy voice said, Rose had found Katt.  
"Thanks."  
"Where do you come from?"  
Katt smiled a bit, "From a place far away.", she let it sound mysterious. The young Katt always loved kids and now that she saw the little blue vixen, she could barely hold herself back to pull her of Sefilia arms and cuddle her for the rest of her live.

"Is everyone so pink, where you come from?"  
The feline had to laugh a bit, "No, there are lots of different people. White, green, yellow, red and even some blue ones.", she said and nudged her at her little nose and this time the little girl had to giggle.

"Your boyfriend must be really happy to have someone that pretty as a girlfriend."  
"Yes he is, but he doesn't know it yet."  
Rose turned her head in confusion, "Huh?"  
"You will understand that, when you are older.", Beseril answered her.

"Okay.", the girl nodded understanding and turned around to Sefilia, "Sefilia, can you let me down again? I want to play with the others.", she set down the little girl on the ground again, whereon she immediately started to run towards her friends.

Where is John by the way?", Beseril asked slightly longing for the male human.  
"He is outside and is playing something for the kids.", the vixen answered.

John was at the back of the house and was playing some songs on the guitar for the kids. The ones who were listening to him didn't make a single noise not to risk to miss a single tune. The ears of the kids where twitching happily.  
Some of them fell asleep and leaned their backs against each other.

But every time John stopped everyone suddenly awake and demanded another piece of music and he complied. But after he gave the seventh addition he indulged in a break.

The kids indeed were upset, but shortly after that they found a new activity on their own.

It only took some days for the parents to find their lost children in Sefilias house. Rose was the last one who was reunited with her parents.  
She was sad, because she started to like Sefilia a lot and was already looking up to her like a little sister would do to her big sister. Sefilia promised her that she was allowed to visit her whenever she wanted, what she took to heart.

They had learned a lot for the short time the kids were at the house. A lot of responsibility, an attachment figure, to be a friend for the little ones and to take care of them, when they were sad.

The weeks passed.  
John kept on learning the Cerinian language and trained for the military.  
The capital city got even fuller so that every single house had to get converted into an emergency accommodation.  
Sefilia allowed more people living in her house, but this time whole families and not only children.  
Casually she worked, when John was on guard duty, in her laboratory or in the hospital again and continued with her experiments.

Additionally the government offered a program, where the casualties of the incident Katt had caused, could learn to control their abilities and also block foreign thought and feelings so that something like that could never happen again.

Only a few masters where available, but they tried their best to teach the people as much as they knew to control their sixth sense.

Beserils shop went better than ever before. He had to work the whole day and the whole night, many people needed clothes, because they had to let them left behind.  
He may had more work, but the people had no money and so Beseril had to make them for free. The fox wasn't that happy about that, but at least he could see his clothes walk and slender through the city.

John also cashed the promise he gave Sefilia and paid the receptionist a visit with whom he once had that fight in the quarters.  
He said sorry and the older fox accepted, but he himself admitted that he had a bit overreacted and so he said sorry as well.

John again was on a patrol and this time the Bafomdads were at his side.

When his shift was over he got an idea, "Let's take a look what the Cerinians tell about you, shall we?", he said to the Bafomdads. The three agreed with a happy squeaking.  
Today Sefilia had to do an extra shift. One of the employees in the laboratory had a little accident, now he was imprisoned in the hospital quarantine area and now she had to make sure that not more people were contaminated.

Aside from his friends no one was with him, but the Cerinian scientist gave him a device which allowed him to walk freely through the city and it's buildings.  
It was a small, round adherer with a blue crystal inside. They told him that he just had to hold the adherer against one of the locked metal doors and then they should be open for him.

He went with the Bafomdads and fully dressed with his armor to the school and its library which were in the district he and Sefilia lived.

Many people now knew him and greeted him, when they passed each other. The kids always asked him, when he would play some music for them again.  
The young human even got the impression that some of the older girls had founded some fanclub of him, because many of them wore small green jackets that were somehow looking like his.

He had caught a good day. The library wasn't even half as full as it is used to be at midday.  
John sat down at one of the many free computers and activated it with the adherer.

One of the typical holodisplays popped up and hovered in front of him and as far as he knew, the computer was now operational and ready to work.

He tipped the word 'Bafomdad' on Cerinian on the display. As answer he instantly got linked to a page.

He translated the title of the article as 'Bafomdads: The Angles of Cerinia' with a picture of an upright standing Bafomdad at it's side.  
"Angles of Cerinia? Now you made me curious.", the human said to himself and continued to read, while he still kept an eye on the Bafomdads, which got luckily hypnotized by the light emitted of that what their friend did.  
The human just shook his head and continued reading.

"Bafomdads are probably the most mysterious and profound living beings of whole Cerinia. Despite their improbable appearance they possess big powers.  
They can look into the souls of any creature and see what their hearts desire. Their powers are similar to the ones some Cerinians own, but it is not sure, if they share the same source or it only is a strangely reenactment of the natures biology.

One special behavior of these creatures to stick to the persons they once found as friends and they will stay with them till the end of their lives.

Bafomdads exist at least as long as the Cerinian race, if not even longer.  
Unfortunately we had to discover that their population had decreased in the last centuries and we haven't found out, what this caused.

Nowadays they are rather rarely met.

Already our ancestors honored them as gods, as "donors of live", what can be lead back to old stone ruins found in the jungle.  
Due the natural growth of the jungle fauna and the returning rain the ruins got even more battered and so our scientists couldn't clearly prove these rumors to be true.  
Another one of these says that the Bafomdads get their nicknames due their ability …"

The display was flickering for a short moment and in the end turned totally off.

It took John some seconds to realize what just happened. He knocked several times at the computer, but still, nothing changed.

Other people seemed to have the same problem as he had and suddenly the lights of the library started to flicker and went off.

The library got drenched into a red light, after the emergency generators had turned on.

John had a bad feeling about that. Something like that never was a good sign.

Several seconds later an immense quake shook the whole room. Bookshelves fell on the ground and buried young students underneath them.

The ones who weren't disabled helped the others to free themselves.  
When the human was sure that everyone was alright, he sprinted with the Bafomdads outside the building. Only some doors moved well what could have been caused by the lack of energy.

The closer he came to the exit the louder a sound became that made Johns blood freeze.  
'This can't be possible.' he thought in horror, 'How could that happen?'  
Students ran on the hall and the human had to dodge them.

When he tackled the door open, he witnessed, how his worst nightmare became true.

The Cerinian capital was burning.  
He heard shouting from everywhere.

Black smoke clouds were rising from everywhere, if he wasn't sure that he was still in the city, he could have been in hell.

"GOD DAMMIT."

He started to run, not into the battle, he couldn't stand a whole army all alone. John just could think of one thing, 'Sefilia!'.

She was in danger, everyone was in danger. He could die himself, but he didn't care. He had to safe her no matter what.  
The human was too much concentrated on Sefilia that he didn't notice anything that happened around him.

Some Sharpclaw were attacking the young human and his instincts took over control. The enemies which were standing right in his way were shot down the second they appeared and he ran past them, before their dead bodies were even able to touch the ground.

He took the direct way through buildings and other enemies, which had to get bypassed or eliminated.  
Luckily the concentration of enemies wasn't that dense yet.  
The human totally lost the feeling of time, he didn't hear a thing, he ignored anything that didn't need his help and perked up his ears for one thing. Sefilias voice.

"SEFILIA!"

It was too late. Like almost the whole city, also the hospital and Sefilias laboratory were burning.  
"SEFILIA!"

He shouted inside the building, but there was no answer. He just heard the with fear and pain permeated air.

He had to act and think fast.  
He turned around to the scared Bafomdads and gave him fast and strict tasks, "You must find help! No matter who! But fast! I'll be right back.", he said with his adrenalin powered voice.  
They understood, nodded and disappeared with the blink of an eye.

The human was just about to grab his sword, but all he had in his hand was air. He looked down and saw that the leather strip that held his sword was torn apart, one of those beasts seemed to have get close enough to grab it, before he killed it.

That made it more complicated, but still, he had to go in there.

Now he turned back to the hospital.  
The human took a deep breath and charged at the entrance.

The door was already half blown away, what made it easy for him to open it.

Fire. That was the only thing he saw. Fire, everywhere fire. On the walls at the roof in front and behind him.  
The air was unbearable hot and John almost lost consciousness during the first few seconds he was inside the building.  
But like the Sharpclaw, the fire didn't stop him as well.  
He partial had to jump through thin walls of fire to reach Sefilias lab.

He felt like the heat was starting to heat up the armor, but he had to ignore it, for Sefilia.

He reached the laboratory after a long and hard fight. The door was closed, he drew his revolver and fired.  
It took him all four magazines to get a whole big enough so that he could climb through.

A black cloud was coming into his direction and he had to cough hardly, but nevertheless, he entered.

There she was, in the middle of the room. Besides her lied a part of the wall that seemed to have hit her head, when it had fallen down.  
She was untouched by the flames, only her lab coat was slightly blackened. It seemed to be fire-resistant.

He went to her and took off his glove to feel her pulse and her breath.  
"Thanks god, you are alive.", a single tear ran down his face, he could cry, when she was in safety.  
But there was something else catching his attention, the red gem in her adherer was blinking warningly, "This can't be good.".

He fully wrapped her in the lab coat, put on his glove again and lifted her up.  
When he had come out of the room, he realized that the way back had changed.

There were flames, where he had rushed through before and there were the fire had burned before only small flames were twitching, small flames, ashes and smoke.

He didn't knew, what he should do. John wasn't even able to get inside, without getting hurt himself and now he was carrying the unconscious Sefilia on his arm.

But he had no other chance, he had to try it.

The hallway was now totally impassable and so he took the only way possible, he went through the rooms that should have already collapsed.

His hackles bristled themselves, when he had went to the next room and suddenly felt an air blast from behind, accompanied form a rumbling sound, pushing him and more smoke into the room in front of him.  
He should stop thinking about that.

There was smoke and ash everywhere and he was almost not able to see anything, but at least there was no fire.  
He always had an eye on Sefilia, but there was no sign that she would wake up.

He was able to fight through the main entrance, when the last roof had collapsed behind him.  
But now he wasn't able to get anywhere, behind him where the ruins of the hospital and in front of him was a wall of fire.

Their way was blocked and they slowly got encircled by the fire around them.  
With his armor on, he again could jump through the fire, but he couldn't risk that Sefilia got harmed, she wasn't fully wrapped in her coat, her head and parts of her legs were still uncovered and got slightly sooty.

Now he just could do one thing, "HEEEEEEEEEEELP!".  
Nobody answered on the first call and so he continued shouting.

That was it, the end.  
The flames were coming closer to John and the unconscious vixen, nobody heard them. He and his most loved one would die together.  
He and Sefilia, the one, who had opened his heart that bolstered him, the one that gave him happiness and love.  
Everything he could do now, was praying.

He kneeled down with Sefilia in his arms and thought about the good time he had spent with her and ran his fingers through her soft and sky blue hair.  
She was breathing slightly, raising and lowering her chest steadily. He never had watched her, when she was sleeping. Despite what was going on around them, she looked so peaceful.

A tear rolled down his cheek, while he remembered the rest of his friends. Siren, the attractive, strong but still laid back leader, Katt, the pink cat which always had a bold saying on her lips, Beseril, the slightly different friend, the little, brave Adaril and the little Bafomdads that were always as kind as possible and loyal to the end.

The tear dripped on her forehead.

Everything slowed down. It got silent around them. He didn't feel whether the heat of the fire nor did he hear the fighting noises in the city.  
He looked down to Sefilia a looked at her face, which got only covered by her own hair that moved silently in the wind.  
'Does it feel like that, when you die?'

…

A strange sound was suddenly hearable through the wind, 'Not yet boy, not yet.'

That voice, he hasn't heard that voice in years. It was so familiar to him but he couldn't remember who it was.

'Stand up.', the voice ordered him and he obeyed, 'You must not give up. You will live.', a shadow like silhouette stepped from the flames out.  
"Who are you?", he asked.  
The person laughed a bit, 'Someone who is very proud of you.'

The human took a step further to the shadow, "D-Dad!"  
'Follow me John.', he waved him into the fire and with every step he took the flames got smaller and disappeared.

John wasn't sure, if this was a Fata Morgana or not, but if it was one, he soon would feel the difference.  
While following the shadow he paid attention that he doesn't fall down or let Sefilia fall.  
With the blink of an eye the person suddenly disappeared in the flames.

He was shocked, when he realized that the flames were closing up again.  
The flames indeed came closer, but it didn't get warmer, he even felt a slight cold that made him almost shiver.

Two more silhouettes appeared out of the fire, grabbed him at his shoulder and pulled him out into the light.

For a short time he didn't saw a thing and thought, he would be dead.

But someone was shaking him and he heard another well know voice.  
He again was able to see something, but everything was in a blurry and the things the voice said where only partial understandable.

The person in front of him was blue and smaller than him.  
He did get unconscious, he was still standing and he felt a weight on both of his arms.

His sight got better. He knew the person and her voice.

He had to pull himself together.

"Come on, wake up you big dumbass, or are you a frikking zombie?", she was already hauling off for a slap in his face.  
"Stella! What happened!"  
She was relieved, "Good that you are with us again."

He turned around to the hospital. Everything still was burning, but there stood five soldiers now and they sprayed a cyan colored mist from the tip of their staffs into the fire, what somehow seemed to stop and even extinguish it.  
Besides him stood two Bafomdads that look worried at him and Sefilia.  
'I hope he is alright …', John thought, when he thought about the last one of the three.

"Is there still someone inside!", she asked half-shouting to make sure that he could hear her.  
"No!"  
"Okay, we will fall back to the palace and there we are going to dig in until we figured a strategy out to counter their attack."

Stella told the soldiers with a movement of her hand that they should stop, the situation was hopeless.  
They moved out and went into the direction of the palace.

On their way they picked up several feared and confused soldiers and civilians and killed some more unaware enemies, which walked alone through the city.  
They had to stay in front of the next wave of enemies or else they would be locked out of the palace.

John heard how the fighting roar of the enemy behind them got louder, that was what stimulated them to keep on walking.  
He was still worried about Sefilia. She may was still alive and her breath was steady, but she didn't wake up and all in all there was no sound or twitch coming from her.

When they had reached the stairs, they met more people running up there to reach the save walls of the royal building: They had to hurry, because the enemy troops seemed to be close.

They had been the last ones and when John caught a last gaze at his new and now destroyed home, pure horror filled his heart, when he saw the flood of scales and metal gushing into the city and flowing into the direction of the palace.

The palace itself didn't look better.

Kids cried, the adults were speechless of horror and the soldiers looked discouraged at each other.  
Many had given up and for many it was the end.

Because of all refugees the palace was overfilled and many of the wounded had to sit on the ground and lean against the walls.  
The deeper he walked into the palace, with Sefilia still on his arm, the more muggy it got despite the decreasing number of people.

He found several rooms, which got remodeled to emergency accommodations for the heavier wounded ones. He searched a free one for Sefilia and walked pass some rooms.  
Of the ones he passed he heart shouts of pain that beat everything he had ever heard before.

On other doors the windows where smeared with blood and he heard people talking about operations.

He finally found a room that wasn't occupied yet and put her down on one of the beds.  
The Bafomdads sat worried at her side and dropped their ears.  
John pulled a chair to her and waited.

Everything he could do now was sitting there and hopping that she would wake up soon, but she already was that long unconscious that he started to lose his hope.

While he continued waiting a nurse entered the room.  
Her clothes were totally drenched in blood and the makeup she wore was daubed. With caution she cleaned the wound at her head and when she wanted to take care of Johns burn wounds he rejected it thankful.

"There you are kid.", a voice behind him said and he turned around.  
When he turned around he saw another well know vixen, but she didn't look good, "Siren, what happened to you?", she hobbled with a rake on one of her legs, which she held with her right arm.  
Someone took the armor of her left arm and wrapped it fully into white bandages. Here and there blood was flowing through.  
The earring of her left ear was missing, with a small piece of her ear. Her face was slightly torn and still bleeding a bit.

The armor of her left leg also got taken off. But the leg looked even worse than her arm and its bandages were more drenched in blood.

John helped her on one of the beds, "Thanks.", she said with a suppressed, painful voice.  
"A bomb exploded directly at my left and threw me through the air. And I don't how, but I managed to break my right leg.", she explained with a small chuckle, without further questions of Johns side.

Her gaze wandered over to Sefilia, "How is she doing?"  
"I hope good …", he said with a dropping mood.

"Here.", Siren handed John a white sheath.  
"You lost that.", she had given him his sword.

"Thanks, where did you find it?"  
"Dunno, it suddenly landed right in front of me … You could say that it found me.", she laughed a bit, but then had to caught.  
The vixen mumbled something, what sounded like 'Damn', when she saw that the coughing mottled her hand with little red blood drips.  
"The fight is over for me … Do me a favor kid and take some of those bastards out for me."

A silent whimper was hearable and John turned around to Sefilia.

He went as fast as he could to her and took her hand and sat down besides her, "Sefilia, can you hear me?"  
"John?", she answered with a silent and weak voice.  
"Yes, I'm here."  
"My whole body hurts … what happened?"  
"We were attacked and you got unconscious. I found you and brought you into the palace."  
"Where are the others?"  
"I don't know.", he answered depressed, "But I'm sure that they are alright."

The door flew open, "Officer Calim!", a soldier hectically came into the room, he breathed heavily and could barely talk.  
"What`s up?", Siren answered slightly stunned of her pain.  
"You have to come to the southern gate. We need your support there!"

She shook her head slightly, "I'm sorry. My body is done for, I won't fight again in the next days.", then she turned her head over to John.  
"He will take over command for me.", she pointed at the human, who was still sitting besides Sefilia.  
"I?"  
"Are you sure?", the soldier asked confused.  
"He is young, but he will make it."

"But I just can't let her …"  
"Listen to me.", she cut him off with a serious tone in her voice, "We need every soldier at our front, if we fail today no one of us will need a doctor anymore and that is for sure. I promise you that I will send someone who will take care of her."  
John nodded understanding and turned back to Sefilia and again took her hand gently.  
"Sefilia. The others need my help, but I promise you that I will come back as fast as possible."  
The vixen put on a little smile, "Alright."  
"And as a proof …", he took of his family adherer, put it in her hands and closed them slightly around it, "Please have an eye on this as long as I am gone."  
"I will."  
"See you later …", she again whimpered something and then just nodded a bit.  
"And you will have an eye on her, ok guys?", he said to the two Bafomdads, which nodded resolute.  
"Okay, bring me to the southern gate!"

On their way to the southern gate, they sometimes had to slower their speed, because many civilians were still sitting on the ground.  
"Do we have a plan?", John asked.  
"Our army is split into two parties, the bigger one is hiding in the city and in the jungle. We try to organize an attack via light signals to attack the enemy army from all four gates of the palace and the city at once."  
"All right."

'_Look what they have done_.', again a voice was echoing through his head, '_They should be punished for what they did, don't you think so too?_", he didn't answer and continued to listen, '_Sefilias is suffering, your love is suffering and they laid their violent hands on her. They should pay for this!_', rage was rising in his insides.  
'_If she dies, you are all alone again. Kill them! Kill them all!_"

* * *

_**Authors notes:**_

_**Well, another chapter done, I read it two times, so I guess the biggest mistakes should be corrected.**_

_**Everyone has his dark side, so John has, I wonder what will happen.**_


	20. The Angles of Cerinia

**Chapter 20**

**The Angles of Cerinia**

He felt how his hate rose inside himself, all the hate he had gathered on earth. But this time he couldn't push it back, he accepted it and let it give him strength, this time no one would stop him to let his enemies vanish.

His thoughts were infected, infected of the desire to kill every Sharpclaw that would dare to stand in his way, but he didn't just wanted to kill them, no. Their resign should be as painful as possible.

All that anger inside him felt like a flame that burned his heart and let it melt. He never felt such a pain.  
His pain got even stronger, when he remembered himself of Sefilia, his love, hurt and bleeding in his arms.

From the outside, nobody could see his misery.  
But she could feel it.  
The vixen wasn't strong enough to stand up, but since he left the room she followed his thoughts.  
She noticed the change that had happened inside him, she noticed how every trace of kindness had disappeared and been replaced by anger and hate.

Tears ran down her cheeks, the kind and nice person she fallen for once had disappeared. His body was now controlled by an evil devil that only was hankering after nothing more than blood and death.

Her heart had shattered in thousand pieces. Sefilia didn't wanted to lose him, she was still holding his adherer in her hands and hopped that he would remember the good times they had spent together so that the daemon would disappear again.  
She tried to reach him with her voice, to bring him back to her, to let him be what he once was, but she was too weak, not even the nurse that took care of her was able to hear the young vixens shouting.  
" … John …".

The voice was driving him even more to develop more and more hate and anger so that he slowly lost his actual target, Sefilias safety.

When they reached the gate, the soldier who was at Johns side explained the others that the human was now the person in charge.  
There was some mumbling, but it was barely hearable, because of the seeming less never ending of hammering of the enemy against the palace gates and walls.

The human walked to the front of the gate and turned around to the soldiers, he stood on rock fragment that had fallen down from the roof.  
"As you should know now Siren gave me the command.", the mumbling stopped and the human now had their full attention.  
"We will coordinate an attack from several sides to surround our enemy and divide them in some smaller groups to wipe them out one after the other.", there was still silence so he continued.  
"We will form several rows to build a solid defense to push the enemy back."

"The first row will be formed by our lances, they will keep the enemy on distance and impale everyone that dares to approach us from the front. Behind our lances will be the marksmen, who will take out as much enemies from the distance as possible. Our marksmen will be guarded by our swordsmen from the side and behind.", he nodded to himself and thought about if he had forgotten anything.  
"That's our plan. Any questions?"

They were only about one hundred, but they still had to make it, "We may be not many, but still, our plan will work.".

The mood of the soldiers wasn't good, many of them dropped their ears and looked down on the ground, their fighting spirit was broken.

"Don't be afraid, do always remember for who you are fighting for. They need you now, so you're your best. Remember with every breath you take your beloved ones, because they will too. Your sons and daughters, your brothers and sisters, your fathers and mothers. Your loved ones. They are all counting on you and wish you the best.", he got interrupted by the clapping and fighting shouts of his men and women.

"Today we won't fail, because today we will show them, what we can subtend to them!", he had drawn his blade and rose it up into the air and so did the other soldiers. The people around him where to distracted by their own desperation and now by their new will to fight to recognize what happened to him.

Like a shadow or a black cloud was it wandering over him.  
As he already got told, his armor is reflecting his personality and so it did.

Slowly the legs started to darken, but it was no regular black, it was as black as the void of space.  
But not only his armor started to change, also the shiny sheath of his sword got dim, dull and dark.  
'_Use your anger._'  
"Don't show any mercy! You know what they have done and so we let them pay and suffer hundreds and thousand times! DEATH TO OUR ENEMIES!"

His blade started to glow blood red, but it didn't get powered by the crystal, but by his anger.

The soldiers replied the call of their new leader, "DEATH TO OUR ENEMIES!".

John turned to the soldier at his side, which waited for the go, he smiled pleased without noticing what happened to the human, "Give them the sign.", John said to him.  
He nodded and went up some stairs.

John himself got in front of his troop in position.

He was ready, he wanted to kill as many enemies as possible and nothing should stand in his way. His eyes were fixed to the place where the doors should go apart.

Finally the door parted and presented a Sharpclaw horde, which had readied itself for the fight. They had taken a few steps away from the door to take a look at their prey. But they didn't see what they had expected.

A wall of resolute warriors stood in their way and one was right in front of them.

His pitch black armor shone in the fire of their own torches and his blade was hungry for blood.

He didn't look resolute like his allies, it was more the longing feeling for the fight.

He smiled and waited for his enemies to make the first move.

The first wave of attackers charged at the defenders, when one of the elite warriors gave a loud shouting noise emitting from his throat.  
Many of the Sharpclaw fell under the fire of the marksmen and the spears of the ones in the first row.  
But one of the brave defenders was missing.

He was standing right between them. He had cut his way through them, the ones who tried to block him, got torn into pieces by the aura of the sword, sometimes several with a single strike.  
His blade was cutting everything down that stood in his way.  
_'That's it! Do you feel it? How does it feel?'_

He didn't have to answer. His acting was talking for himself.

He started to like this feeling, when the warm blood of the enemy splattered over his skin.  
Something strange happened during the fight, his armor and his sword didn't reject the blood anymore, they absorbed it.

He had lost sight to the others, but he didn't care.  
He was surrounded by enemies. Nobody made a step, not even the wind was blowing over the blood drenched battlefield.  
Finally one of them dared to attack.

With a wink of an eye he parted the enemy at his chest with a single, clean cut.  
After that the rest of the crowd flooded onto him.  
A big pile of reptiles and armors was building up over the human. Many would have died after such an attack, but he didn't.

The pile was suddenly collapsing in another flood of yellow, thick blood.

He was towering over them, staring at the ones around him, '"Was that all? I am waiting!".

He totally lost consciousness about time and his body got numb, he saw that the weapons of the enemy hurt his body, but he didn't feel anything.  
A group of feared Sharpclaw had split of the main army and ran away of their human enemy.

He saw that and followed their trace.

They had run into a dead end, a house which had collapsed on one side and so blocked the exit.  
One of the Sharpclaw tried to get out of there by using their entrance way, but the warrior was already standing there and ended his existence.

The group was trapped and the only entrance was blocked by an enemy they couldn't defeat.  
They didn't know what they should do.  
The three lizards put their weapons on the ground and plead with every gesture they knew, "Mercy? … You don't deserve that!"

His breath was heavy. His blade was dripping with the blood of the Sharpclaw. The dead bodies of his enemies where surrounding him.  
He was starring into the nowhere, there was no point someone could find, when he or she would try to follow his gaze.  
"_Well done_.", the voice was echoing through his head again, "_They deserved to get killed, for what they have done to you_."

"What the hell happened here?", she was behind him, standing at the entrance, "Hey, who's there? … John… is that you?", he knew the voice.

"_Her too_."

She was a friend, he couldn't do that.  
His arm had already drawn the blade and had pointed it at his target, "No, I won't let you control me anymore!", the human mentally shouted.  
"_What are you doing? Do you think you can reach your target without me?_"

"WHAT TARGET!? I wanted to be happy with Sefilia … You only bring pain to everyone … GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

He had come back to reality, his arm was still holding his sword, it was only several inches away of the paralyzed vixens throat.  
His whole body was trembling, he dropped the sword and kneed down on the ground.

He had intense headaches and took of his helm. He pressed his bare hands against his head in the hope his head wouldn't explode.

That was the moment, when Stella realized that she wasn't in danger anymore and when she could move again.  
She wanted to make a step backwards and stumbled over an obstacle and fell on the hard stone ground.

The high tone, when the metal hit the ground reminded John that he wasn't alone and he looked up, "Stella!?".  
She didn't answer him, but just stared at him with fear in her eyes. She wasn't moving either, so he crawled up to her and shook her slightly, "Are you alright, can you hear me?"

She suddenly blinked with her eyes, it seemed that she was awakening of whatever she just had feared of and her response was quick and hard.  
She slapped him in his face with such a force, he though she had just punched his nose of his face, "WHAT THE FUCK WAS WRONG WITH YOU!?", she additionally shouted at him and re-build the headache what had seemed to get weaker again.

"I don't know …", he replied, "It was like a nightmare, dark and cruel …", he looked at her, in the hope, she had seen something in his mind.  
She shook her head, "Sorry, your thoughts were so blurry, I couldn't see a thing."

"Why are you here anyways? How is the battle going?", John asked shortly after.  
"The battle is over. We pushed the Shapclaw back and their army had heavy losses.", she answered, "I don't know what would have happened if Randorn wouldn't have helped us."

"Randorn is here?", the human asked surprised.

"One of the Bafomdads was with him."

John was happy that the last one of his friends was okay as well. But his mood got darken again, by the vixens sad face.  
"John, we have to go.", she grabbed him at his wrist.  
"What's wrong?"  
"It's about Sefilia, we have to hurry!", she didn't sound worried, but a tear ran down her cheek.

When they went out of the house, John felt some water dripping on his skin, it had started to rain. The rain would put out the fires in the city.

On their way back John saw, what the fight had done to the city and its people. But he also saw, what happened to some of the Sharpclaw, or more, what he had done to them.  
He was disgusted of himself, when he saw that many of his opponents were barely in one piece.

His armor was still glimmering black, when they passed the main gate. Meanwhile the rain had become stronger and started the wash the blood and dirt away.  
Stella followed him to the room, where Sefilia was lying.

There were many noises coming from the room. Some people where standing in front of it and looked inside.  
"Make some space!", Stella barked and the people moved aside and let the two soldiers pass.

Randorn was in the room and removed his hand of Sefilias forehead.  
"Randorn?"  
The old man was surprised and worried at the same time, "Hello John."  
Siren seemed to have left the room even before Randorn had arrived.  
Two of the Bafomdads were sitting besides Sefilia, on her bed.

"John!", the voice came out of the other corner of the room.

It was Katt, she seemed just to be slightly hurt and bleed a bit at her elbows, but she cried.  
"What's wrong Katt?"  
"It's because of your friends John.", Randorn answered for her and pointed at another bed at the rooms wall.

The tailorer was lying in it, hurt and unconscious.

"What happened?"  
The third Bafomdad, who seemed to have found Randorn was sitting at his side and looked at him worried.  
"When the attack started, Beseril wasn't home.", the feline explained and sobbed, "When I heard the explosion I immediately grabbed my blaster and looked for him… But they were faster…", she needed a moment to get some air again.  
"I saw how a whole bunch of them hit him with their clubs. I shot them, but I wasn't fast enough. He-he was unconscious and if Ronald and some others wouldn't have showed up we probably wouldn't have made it."

John took a better look at the wounded fox.  
His face was deeply swollen and a small stream of blood was running out of his nose. His whole body was bandaged, there was blood, everywhere.

"You sure can help them Randorn, right?", John asked hopefully.  
"I…", but he was interrupted by Stella, who had disappeared to fulfill her duty.  
She had brought another person, laid him down on the bed and went to the next wall, without saying a word, tears running down her cheeks.

The person she had brought in again dropped the mood of everybody inside the room, "Adaril!", Katt affrighted and covered her muzzle with her hands.

John was at least as shocked as Katt, but he still could talk, "Where did you find him?", the little boy's body was covered in wounds and he was bleeding.  
"The other soldiers found him in the ruins of the house of his mother.", she explained with a down voice. She was scared of Johns next question.  
"And where is Salmakia?"  
"She is the only reason why he is still alive…", she lowered her head, "She had thrown herself on her son, when the house had collapsed. She had paid the highest tribute to save the life of her son. She gave her life to protect him."

After that she left the room, without saying another word.  
But before she had left, she pushed some curious Cerinians outside the room and closed the door.

Randorn had gone to the kid as soon Stella had let him down on the bed and let his staff scan him.  
The boy suddenly coughed and opened his eyes slowly, "Is-is that Randorn?", he asked with a weak voice.  
"Yes Adaril, Randon is here to help you.", John said, with tears in his eyes.  
"Cooool.", the surprisingly good mood of the boy made him smile.  
"Where is mom?"

The human didn't know, what he should say and looked desperate over to Katt. Katt saw it and answered for him, "She is happy, she will always watch over you.".  
Adaril smiled and his eyes closed again.  
In the meantime one of Sefilias companions had come over to the young boy and comforted him as good as possible.

Randorn finished the check up and kept silent.  
"Randorn, please tell me that you can help them.", John said desperate.  
"They have inner bleedings.", Randorn said sad, "That is something more complicated than broken bones John…"  
"SAY THAT YOU CAN SAVE THEM!", John shouted at him, crying.  
He was ashamed for what he just did and sat down at a fourth, empty bed.  
Katt was crying, her ears were applied, and sunken down in the corner of the room besides Beseril.

"You were able to heal me in one day.", the human said, with tears running down his cheeks, "Why can't you do that with them too?"  
"You had just a broken leg and some smaller wounds at the surface, but inner wounds are much more serious and difficult to heal. I don't have the right tools for that…"

"Are you telling me that Katt had risked her live for nothing? Do you want to tell me that Adarils mother died for nothing? … I made a mistake and Sefilia has to pay with her live? THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT!".

Randorns hoody dropped slightly, "I'm sorry…".

Johns was about to start shouting again, when suddenly the Bafomdad at Sefilias side started to squeak. John went to her fast, took her hand and kneed down.  
"Sefilia, can you hear me?"  
"J-John?", he voice was weak, very weak.  
"I was so scared… I was afraid to lose you… to that… thing. You just could hate. I was afraid, the John I love was gone… and only the daemon that was controlling you was left."  
"He is gone now and I promise that he will never come back again."

"John… It is so cold.", John felt the pressure of her hand fading slowly. He again looked over to Randorn and hoped that he could do something.  
But he didn't move and a single tear dripped from underneath the cloak on the ground.

"Sefilia, please don't leave me."

"Will you keep your promise? We will always stay together… right?".

The human patted her head, he didn't knew, what he should do.  
"I will keep my promise Sefilia."  
"Everything is getting so dark… You are disappearing… please… stay… with me.", her hand slipped out of his grip and she dropped, what she promised to hold, until he was back again.  
The sound of his adherer hitting the ground, was hearable through the whole room.

He had to witness, how the bright light of her eyes slowly disappeared until the ones so beautiful blue eyes had become grey and dull and she slowly closed.  
The adherer of her mother, she had worn around her neck and glowing in a warning red died.  
"Sefilia… please stay with me… Sefilia!".

The Bafomdad, which sat at her side now started to cry as well, as the other two did too. Their ears hung down and tears dripped down of their snub noses to the ground, the beds and Johns armor.

The tears of the little creatures combined with Johns, cleaned his armor and sword of the evil that had taken them over before. Every drop was pearling of the armor and took a part of the evil and darkness with it.  
Katt was still sitting silently in her corner, she had heard anything and she was still crying.  
Three of her best friends were dying in front of her eyes and she couldn't do a thing.

Still with his eyes on her, the human started to talk again, "Randorn. Please tell me that there is a possibility that you can save her, I will do anything.", he pled to the old man, "I would give my live for her."  
"Are you sure about that?"  
"Yes."  
He again tried to find a way, but then he shook his head, "I'm sorry, I don't know how.".

John was at the end of his ropes. He had failed and he couldn't stop his nightmare to become true. Sefilia was dying and he couldn't do a thing.  
He laid his head on her forehead, tears were dripping onto her and he hoped that would wake her up, "Sefilia, I gave you once a promise… And I will fulfill it.", he whispered silently in her ear in the hope his words were still reaching her, "Nobody will apart us, not even death…"

His hand slowly moved down to the sheath of his sword, he grabbed it and drew it as slowly as he moved his hand.

Katt looked up, when she noticed the silence, she saw, how the human was holding his sword at his throat, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? ARE YOU INSANE…!?", she tried to run towards him, but she was stopped by the old man's staff.  
She looked angrily at him, "Don't you see what he will do? Let me go you old idiot!"  
"Don't stop him, it is not your decision."

She was scared. She knew what John was up to. She didn't want to lose another friend, she wouldn't have bore that. She was praying, with tears dropping down her face that something would stop him, or that the old man got unaware of her and that she could get free to stop the human.

He had his weapon in his hands. He was ready to follow her. He gathered his last powers and prepared himself.  
He was ready…

It seemed as a bight light would welcome him. He heard a female voice, he knew well, "The time hasn't come yet John."  
"Sefilia…?".  
He was paralyzed and felt how the sword slowly slipped out of his hands and dropped to the ground.

John thought Randorn had somehow found a way, but it wasn't him.  
He wasn't prepared for what he just saw.

The little Bafomdad who was sitting at her side, was hovering over her. He drenched the room in a golden, bright light. He let golden snow fell down on Sefilia.  
The other two did that as well.  
One was protecting Beseril, the other one Adaril.

In that second the door of the room flew open, the people from the outside had seen the bright light to see its source.

They all became witnesses, when an old Cerinian mythos became true.  
John, Katt and Randorn were speechless.  
They saw how the wounds off the three closed in no time.

The more they got healed, the pale and more seethrough the three Bafomdads became. They gave their live-energy to save the live off Johns friends, "Thanks.", John said to them, "I will never forget, what you did today.".  
The one who was at Sefilias side looked into Johns eyes, he smiled and nodded.

The light disappeared and the three Bafomdads were gone.  
There was silence for a while. Again Katt and John were praying for their friends.

For them it was an eternity to wait, for what would happen next.  
There was a whimpering coming from the three at the same time.  
"John?", he could hear Sefilias voice again. He could hear her voice again!  
"Sefilia, I am here.", he had held her hand again.  
"John, you are breaking my hand!"  
He let go of her fast and instead hugged her then, "I was so scared, I thought I lost you!"  
"J-John, the people are starring at us…"  
"I don't care.", he said with laughter in his voice, laughter of happiness.  
The human accidently covered the face of the vixen in his tears, but that didn't bother her.

The other had woken up as well and first had to orientate themselves.

But the little Adaril didn't had a big chance. Katt had jumped to him, picked him up of the bed and jumped with big laughter into the air.  
He wasn't sure what was going on, but he laughed too.  
The feline went to Beseril and the three of them hugged each other happily.

"Bafomdads. The angles of Cerinia.", Randorn muttered, "That's why the old people thought they were gods. People say that they will be reborn and keep the memories of their former lives. That's why they are also called, 'The never ending Companions.'…"

"What was that…?", Siren was pushing herself through the crowd. She was till hobbling, but she looked much better than before.  
"Oh, should I come back later?", she commented, when she saw their current situation.

"I guess our little secret just blew up.", the human thought out loud.  
She grinned a bit, "If you would know.", John was confused, because he was still hugging Sefilia.  
The grown up vixen giggled a bit, "I wasn't the only one, who knew, the whole city knew about it!"

"WHAT!?", both of the young couple let go of each other and starred shocked at her. Sefilia was even more shocked that her people were able to hide these thoughts of her.  
She had to cough a little bit blood and John did his best to calm her down.  
"Since when?", John asked for Sefilia.  
"Longer than you think.", they both started to look over to Adaril, when Randorn took the word again.

"We should slide this conversation to a later time John. We have to talk to the king. It is about time that we will bring the war to the Sharpclaw!", the human just nodded.  
"You are right, but why me?"  
"I will explain you later, but first…", Randorn lifted his arm in the moment a nurse had entered the room, "Nurse, please take care of mister O'Neil's wounds."  
She nodded, "Yes Sir Randorn, but first I have to… look… for…my… other patients?", she was heavily surprised that all the three cases of need she had to take care of, were suddenly cured and already jumping around again.  
She dropped the medicine, "What happened?"  
"A wonder.", Randorn muttered, when he helped her to find her way to John.

He got hit many times, but thanks to his armor and his enraged phase he barely had noticed anything of it yet. He had little cuts and flesh wounds all over his body. Both of his arms, were swollen blue and his chest hurt like a train had rolled over him.

While the nurse took care of John, Sefilia looked around, "John, where are the Bafomdads?", she asked after a while, scared.  
John didn't knew how he should tell her, "Do you know the legend of them?", he asked silently.  
"Yes."  
"You know, I'm sorry … but it is true."  
The vixen shook her head disbelieving, "You want to tell me … no, this can't be true …", some tears were building up in her eyes.  
John nodded crestfallen, "It's due to them that the tree of you are still alive.", the nurse just had finished and went out of the room again.

"Poor little ones …", Sefilia silently muttered, John went to her and hugged her warmly.  
"I'm sure they are fine, wherever they are right now.", John said, in the hope, the vixen would remember the part of the legend, where the Bafomdads will be reborn.

"I am sorry Miss Wolferos. But right now, it's not the time to grieve for the fallen ones.", Randorn said after a while and turned to John and Sefilia.  
"He is right.", John agreed, "We have to act, or else they will come back."

She looked at her human lover, he may looked wounded and nearly his whole body was bandaged and here and there blood had leaked through, but there was a look on his face, a look of confidence.

It seemed that Randorn wanted the help of the human, so he opened his embrace with the young vixen and stood up.  
The eremite nodded and was just about to go, when she suddenly stood at the side of John, "But Sefilia…"  
"No buts. You are wounded and need a proper doctor, if you collapse.", she had won that arguing and still, she was save, the battle was over, even if there were still some Sharpclaw left, they could be easily overwhelmed by Randorn and him.  
"Fine.", the human let his head hang down and sighted.

They were just about to go, when she saw something in the corner of her eyes.  
"Wait…", Sefilia had bent down and picked something up, she had dropped earlier.  
She reassigned the adherer around Johns neck, "You shouldn't lose this."  
He answered with a little, "Thanks.", and let a little smile appear on his face.

But there was still something that depressed them, when they had left the room. They heard a young voice speaking, "Where's mom … ?".  
Katt's happy look faded away. She didn't tell the boy that his mother wasn't alive anymore. She looked desperate over to John, she didn't knew what she should do. He recognized her gaze and nodded slightly.

When they left, John's mood had dropped again. He suddenly felt little wet nudge of Sefilias nose at his cheek, she tried to cheer him up. They both shared a little kiss, while walking through the hallway.  
They both caught some attention, but as it seemed the people already had known about them, at least that's what Sefilia had seen in their thoughts.

On their way to the palace, John saw many of the other former recruits more or less unharmed. Ronald had a wound at his head, which got treated by Sabrina and Stella with a new companion, John had seen once, during Katt's present incident talk.

They soon had left the people behind and now walked through empty corridors, which got more or less harmed of the bombs or the quakes they had caused.

"How do you plan the counter attack? We have lost many soldiers and then, they still have their wall.", John asked, when they passed another corner.  
"We will have to get the only advantage they will never have, the air space.", answered in his normal, calm voice.

"But we don't have planes yet. How do you want to conquer it?", the human dug deeper.

"There are still the CloudRunners, don't forget that.", the eremite reminded him.

"Yeah, but Kyte told me of the fight, the Cerinians and they will never get along.", the human argued back.

"They all share the same danger, this will unite them, to fight against whatever threatens them, or else they will be destroyed one after the other. That should give them the anticipation to fight together."

The human sighted again, "Let's hope the king sees this as an option."

She had been silent over the whole time they had walked with Randorn to the throne room. Sefilia didn't know, how she should have handled this situation.  
Randorn was a legend, a hero of the Cerinians and John talked with him as he would be a normal person and as it seemed it didn't bother him.

"Sefilia, you are so silent, are you sure, you feel good?", John suddenly asked her and caught her off guard.

"I-I'm alright, it's just …", she was ashamed and looked down to the ground.

"I see …", her silence got interrupted by the old eremite.

"I don't know, who you think I am, but as far as I know, I'm just a normal person. I don't like it, being treated like something better, the only thing I always wanted was equality, nothing more.", he stopped for a moment and caught Sefilias and Johns attention.  
They didn't know, if this was just their imagination, but they saw a see through liquid dripping underneath the cloak to the ground.

"But that doesn't matter anymore, we need to win this war first.", he again went on and let the couple follow him again.

The closer they came to the throne room the more soldiers were patrolling the hallways, but they all let them pass, when they saw Randorn.

The inner part of the palace looked way better than the entrances, there still were places were nurses and doctors took care of hurt soldiers, but there wasn't that much trouble or hectic than it was about an hour ago.

They stopped, when they were standing in front of a row of soldiers and Randorn talked to their squad leader. As far as John heard, they weren't allowed to pass, the king just had an important military talk with his generals.  
But Randorn demanded to enter. It seemed that he had no time to waste and pushed the soldier aside and opened the gate, by touching it with his staff.

The other soldiers tried to stop him. But Randorn was faster. With another move of his staff, he pushed Sefilia and John through the opening. It was a soft push so that they landed on their feet.

The both of them were a little confused after their flight they just had made. They got woken up, by the smashing sound of the closing gate and the protests of the guards behind it.  
Randorn touched the gate again with is staff, this time, the symbols on the wall stopped glowing.  
"Did he just…?", John was about to ask.  
Sefilia interrupted him, with the answer, "He just sealed it.".

But it wasn't better on the other side, several guards were pointing their staffs at him, "Randorn… ? What are you doing here?"  
The king walked, from a big plotting table, which was placed in the middle of the throne room, to them. His wife and Krystal were not visible, it seems that they still were in their shelter.  
Several highly decorated warriors were still standing around the table and watched the scene, one of them was Sabre.

They just had busted right into the talk.

The king ordered the guards to lower their weapons and so they did.  
"Majesty.", Randorn started, "I know that I'm just disturbing an important talk. I am here to open you another option to end the war soon. A counter attack."  
"Randorn, I know you helped our people many times, but you should know at least as good as I do that no soldiers could ever pass their walls."  
"I know your highness, no soldier on foot at least.", he explained his plan in any detail to the king.

First he was surprised, but his surprise soon turned into anger.  
Before he could even end the explanation of his plan, he got interrupted by the king, "We should confederate with the CloudRunner? Never!"  
"We are a proud nation, we would never excuse for what we didn't start.", Sabre supported him.

"God dam it!", it just exploded out of John.  
"How dare you talking like that to one of your generals!?", one of the other generals asked him angry, "Excuse yourself, then you maybe will get away with this."  
Sefilia tried to stop him, of the stupidity he was about to commit, she held his arm with both of her hands. When he looked at her she just shook his head, but that didn't stop him of his angry talk, "If you can't forget your fucking proudness just for one time, all of your people could get killed in the near future. Do you really want that!?".

It was enough for the young grey wolf. He drew his sword and walked into Johns direction. Not even the orders of his king stopped him.. John didn't move and kept on, "We can't win this alone! We have to use the chance that was given to us to defeat them once and forever!", John shouted to the angry soldier, who was still walking into his direction.

Sefilia was still pulling his arm, she was scared, what was going to happen, if John wouldn't move.  
But the human didn't, neither he pushed her aside, all his concentration was focused on Sabre.  
Randorn didn't move as well, it was one fight the young had to do. He didn't even twitch, even when the wolf was only six feet away and already aiming at the throat of the human.

"You have to forget your own proud! For your people! … ".

Sabre wanted to kill him, to destroy the pest that had appeared in his live and ever since brought his own sister against him, the one who filled her with anger and sorrow, but then he still stopped.

Two deep blue eyes were staring at him. They were angry, but they also were filled with tears.

"Sefilia …", Sabre said surprised. His blade had stopped nearly an inch close to her throat. When he realized, what he had almost done he slowly dropped his blade and put it away in its sheath.  
" … And you also have to do it for your sister.", John ended.

"He is right Sabre. Today I felt so much suffering … so much pain … I have lost many friends … I don't want that this happens again. You all have to help them to stop the Sharpclaw.", it was a moment of silence.

"He is right General Wolferos.", the king said, "Mister O'Neil and today's events have assured me that it is time to end this war. We will bring them to justice.".

Sabre dropped his head slightly, while the opinions of the soldiers were divided. Some protested kindly to the king, others crossed the arms and nodded.  
Randorn seemed to be pleased with the outcome and nodded slightly.

"How will you go on for now on Randorn? I can send my ambassadors, but we don't know where the CloudRunners are. So our chances aren't that good.", the king explained him.

"I will send my friend Kyte. He will organize a meeting and then the only thing we can hope for is that many of them, who have the same interests as we, will come.", the fox nodded understanding, "I'll give you my best soldiers as your personal protection."

"That won't be necessary majesty.", the eremite shook his head kindly, "The less we are, the less attention we will attract. I will go and the both of them will come with me.", he pointed at Sefilia and John, who turned around surprised.

"We!?", they said at the same time.

"John already has some experience with the CloudRunner, he also knows both sides of the story of the fight between you and them. I also need the medical wisdom of Miss Wolferos. I heard that the CloudRunners also were attacked by the Sharpclaw, by a smaller force indeed, but as it seems they also had many wounded and dead ones."

There was something that bothered the king, "Even if you find them, they won't accept Mister O'Neil as one of us.", Randorn nodded, "But if you insist to change it, I will arrange that. It was about time anyways. I am very pleased with your acting in the past. You have proven yourself to own the right heart to be one of us.", the king ordered a servant, who stood at the side of the room, to them.

"Please prepare anything for Mister O'Neil."  
The servant bowed down, "As you wish."

The king again turned to the little group, "Miss Wolferos, I have a little favor to ask you."  
"Yes, majesty?", her ears stood straight up, "Our personal is very limited at the moment. Would you show Mister O'Neil the way?"  
"As you wish.", she said and bowed down hectically.

"Randorn, would you stay here for a moment longer? There is something I have to talk with you old friend.".  
Randorn nodded again, "It's a pleasure your majesty."

John and Siren bowed down, then he remembered Siren again. He owed her one, what he could even out now.  
He used the moment that Sabre actually listened to him, "Sa… I mean, General Wolferos?", John saluted to pretend being kind to him.  
"Yes… soldier?", he answered still thinking of what just almost happened.

"Officer Calim wanted to talk to you. She is in the medical area of the palace and her wounds just get taken care of. She said it would be urgent.".

The general looked at him and for the first time it seemed that there was no hate or anger in his eyes, "Thanks soldier. Dismiss!", John saluted again.  
On their way back Randorn unlocked the door with a waving of his staff again and let the guards, which were just about to break the door open, enter.

John and Sefilia went out of the hall and saw from the distance, how the royal guards slowly calmed down again and went back into position.

When they had passed the next corner John stopped, "Sefilia, do you have a minute?"  
"Yes, but we have to hurry."  
"Please don't do that again!", she looked confused at him, "I have already lost you once and I don't want to lose you again."  
"John…", she looked at the ground, she just realized in what condition he was and hugged him now heartily.  
His memories flowed over to her, she saw herself losing the breath of live. How her glimmering eyes lost their glow and how John collapsed at her side.

"I was scared to lose you to.", she admitted.  
"You were scared?", he also hugged her soft body and pressed her a little harder against himself.  
"I was scared that if you fight with Sabre you could become the same monster as on the battlefield.

He was shocked, he didn't knew that she had realized all of it. His suffering, his pain, his anger and his rage.  
"He won't come back…", he slightly kissed her on her cheek to cheer her up again, "I chased him away. He won't come back."

They heard steppes and decided to release each other of their hug, not that people would get the wrong ideas.  
John and Sefilia had to bow down again, "Your majesty!?", the queen was standing in front of them, Are you unhurt?"  
"Yes, thanks Miss Wolferos. I'm glad that I see the both of you are alright too.", she smiled hearty.  
"Congratulation Mister O'Neil, our servant delivered the message to us.".  
The human still had no idea, what everyone was talking about, but he thought it would be better, if he just says thanks, "Thanks majesty."

"Mister O'Neil?", a small vixen was standing behind the queen.  
"Princess! It is also nice to see you.", they just were about to bow again, when she stopped them with a movement of her hand, Instead she made a curtsy.  
"Princess?", they both felt honored and surprised at the same time.

Krystal and her mother smiled and she continued, "I have to say sorry to the both of you.", the couple looked a bit surprised at each other.  
"Since your visit in the palace I knew about your feelings to each other and told this my father. Until this day he let you get observed and with the time passing the whole city knew about your relationship."

"Thanks for your confession princess.", Sefilia thanked her, while John remembered all the things he had noticed, all the teases Siren had given him, she had know about them all the time!  
"And please Miss Wolferos… Sefilia, call me Krystal."  
The vixen smiled and nodded, "I'd love to accept the offer Krystal."

They said goodbye to the queen and Krystal and saw how they moved to the throne room.

Now again Sefilia led the way to wherever she had to bring him.  
They were both surprised about this, both of them suspected Adaril at first.

"So…", Sefilia suddenly started while they still were walking down the hallway, "What wanted Siren to talk about with Sabre."

"Dunno.", the human answered and smiled, "We just own her one and so I thought I would do her a favor that's all.", he explained.  
"So she was the one I always felt, when Sabre was around too…", she giggled a bit, "And I thought it was Beseril."  
The young vixen was wondering, if a woman in Sabres live would change him in a better way, well at least Siren is a tough woman, she would find at least some way to do so.

* * *

_Author notes:_

_It has been a while since the last submission, but I hope you at least liked the chap ;)_

_I hope I'll get more time in the comming future to write my stories, I was on vacation so I wasn't able to continue writting_


	21. Welcome Ambassador

**Chapter 21**

**Welcome Ambassador**

"Where do you lead me anyways Sefilia?", she wasn't sure if his head was okay, did he miss what the king just said?  
"What did you wish the most … after being together with me.", the vixen added after she had read his mind.  
The human thought again, "I wanted to be accepted … be a part of the people … You don't wanna tell me… ?", he was surprised and happy at the same time.

He surprised her once more, he could be wise like the oldest warrior and keep cool like an iceblock, but then he could be clueless like a little kid, she had to laugh a bit.

"Congratulations John!", she said and gave him a stormy little kiss.

The vixen brought him in front of a small, decorated door. Some pictures were hanging at the walls and at the door itself. When John took a closer look he saw blurry pictures of people who got drenched into a bright light, just like Sefilia had told him.

"What do I have to do? … Do I need anything?...", the human was a bit nervous, he wasn't prepared for something like that at a day like this one.  
"John stay calm, you don't have to anything. The scientist will do their job, just follow their instructions and everything will go well."

"Shouldn't we go in?", John asked after a while, when they were still standing in front of the door.

"We have to wait, until they have finished their preparations, they like to keep their secrets as good as possible so that no one could cause trouble with the machine.", Sefilia explained.

"Yeah, a Sharpclaw with a mark could be the worst that could happen.", John thought out loud.

"I also think this has to go, too.", the vixen pointed at his temple.

"The translator?", he was already really good in forming normal sentences in the Cerinian language that would make at least some sense, but the problem was that, when he got nervous he suffered of a lack of vocabulary.

'I just have to stay calm, then everything will be okay.', he cheered himself up mentally.

She felt his worries, "You can do it.", and with these words she removed the gadget with a little nip and pushed him into the direction of the door.

Just in the second he reached it, it opened up and he entered. With his last gazes back to the vixen, he heard her voice again, "Everything will be fine.", but this time, perfectly in his own mother tongue.

The door closed, before he was even able to answer her and the human got greeted by a Cerinian fox in his 40s.  
He wore a white lab coat and small round glasses and it seems that he didn't shove himself in the past few days.  
Many lights of the room were dark, what could have been caused by the attack. Only a single light was on, in the middle of the room.

It shone on a little platform and a with symbols decorated, four squared pillar, which was at least as tall as a man, on it.

They didn't shake hands, but instead the scientist wanted him to step on the platform.  
He didn't say much to John, he just said that he shouldn't panic or cross his arms during the process. The best thing he could do, was just to stand still, let his arms hang down and not leave the platform.

He did as he got told to and stepped on the platform and waited. When he stood ther, he saw one or two more Cerinians standing next to a consol and typing something in.

The human turned his head to see at least something, but the lights still were dark.

Suddenly, there were little electric sparks, shooting from the walls of the room to the pillar. That was the moment, John returned to his former position and again looked straight at the pillar.

Nothing happened for a while and again the human got nervous, or more afraid he got struck by a lightning.  
He was about to ask, if something was wrong, when he noticed that the post started to load with energy.

The symbols started to glow from the bottom and slowly raised until they reached the top.

Then the post started to grow from the bottom. It grew until it reached twice its former size.  
The part of the pillar, which was connected with the ground before now opened up and presented four bars with the exact same size. The bars formed a circle over the head of the human.

The light which had lit up the middle of the room now got dark as well and now the pillar, whci appeared to be the machine, started to buzz.  
The human felt a warmth which got emitted by the pillar. The buzzing and the warmth increased for some seconds and then it happened.

The ring that had formed over his head shown that bright that only its weak reflection of the light from the stone pillar made John close his eyes of pain.  
But he didn't move, if something like this wouldn't be normal the scientists would have stopped the process or at least pushed him of the platform, before it was too late.

His skin started to tingle at his arm and chest and he was wondering, if he got sunburned of the light or if it only was his imagination.  
The tingling didn't feel bad though, it was more like a little massage.

The light slowly faded, the good feeling disappeared and the pillar went back to its original state.

When everything had turned back to normal, John was ordered to get of the platform.  
It took the human some seconds to see at least something again and then he turned around and went of the platform.

Another Cerinian with a lap coat and a clipboard in his hands waited at the bottom for the young human.  
The lights were on, but he wasn't able to identify anything new on his skin.

One of the scientists rose his arm and the light in the whole room went on.  
The first thing John saw, after he regained his ability to see, was the surprised expression of the scientist with the clipboard, when he inspected his armor. He wrote something down and then asked John to remove his left arm protection.

He noticed the symbols on his arm, they were familiar to him, but he wasn't sure where he had seen them before.  
John also had to remove his bandages, it was strange to him that his wounds didn't hurt that much anymore as before.

He now was surprised himself, he didn't knew what the symbols meant, but they had an interesting pattern.

A white, about peach sized, halved, empty circle started at the upper part of his upper arm, drew two half an inched sized lines over the theoretical position of his bones. They united at his elbow and parted, when they had reached his lower arm, where they were drawn, like on his upper arm.  
the lines again ran together, when they reached his wrist.  
From there a line for every finger started.  
Each of them was quarter an inch thick and made circle around every finger joint, the lines stopped at the last joint and except the circles the whole mark was only visible at the backside of his arm.

Something he only had noticed after the end of his observation was that his wounds were almost completely healed and only small scars, which would disappear in some time, were left.

Then he looked at his equipment. His arm protections were decorated like his arm, but they were connected with a line on his shoulder.  
When he saw his chest armor, he knew, where he seen had something like that before.  
There were two parallel lines with a circle here and there, like on Sabres armor.

That was probably the reason, why the scientists had made such big eyes.

The human was wondering what the meaning of this was, but he was sure, he would know the answer soon.

The blade and sheath of his sword both had a sinous line, till the tip. His revolver also had this symbols, but they didn't just met at the end, they formed a cycle at the muscle.  
Also the magazines had such a line around themselves.

The one with the clipboard filled out a list as fast as he could, while another one helped John to fixate his armor again. He also removed the now unnecessary bandages.  
But before he got handed over the paper, both scientists shook his hand and welcomed him as official Cerinian.  
The human finally gave the adherer back, which allowed him before to enter doors and use Cerinian equipment, and thanked them.

The one with the clipboard handed him a document said goodbye and showed him the way outside of the room.

For the human it was an amazing feeling to open a locked door, without asking a Cerinian to help him out or using the adherer.  
In mentally shouted happily, when he touched the door, its symbols started to glow and it parted in its middle.

Behind the door stood his lovely angel.

She smiled happy and flung her arms around his neck, "I told you that everything will be fine!", she greeted him this time on Cerinian. Her tail was swishing happily from her left to her right and back again.  
She pressed the translator back at his temple and observed his armor.

"It looks … great! And this marking … Can I take a look at the document?"  
The human nodded, "Sure.", and handed her the paper.  
Her eyes were flying over the paper, before she again looked surprised at her boyfriend.

"What's wrong?", this look of her often meant either something good or bad.

"Where do you have your marking?", she asked stormy.  
"On my arm.", he said, while pointing on his left arm.

"Strip down, I have to see it!", she said hectically. He wasn't sure, if he hopped that she just mixed something up in her excitement, or if the vixen really wanted him to do so.

On his first thought he just removed his left arm protection again and let her do, what she wanted to.  
he observed what Sefilia was doing with his arm.

She ran her fingers down the lines on his arm and looked at the rings on his fingers, "Uhm, Sefilia?".  
'These lines, they are so similar, but something is different.', she thought to herself.

The human was worried that his mark had hypnotized her.

She blinked with her eyes, when she heard his voice started to become louder and came back to reality.  
"Sorry.", she muttered and blushed slightly, because of her wild curiosity, "Your mark looks similar to Sabre's, I just wanted to be sure, that's all.", she excused herself and went back to the paper.

"If we can trust this paper, and I hope we can, the ancient machine elected you as a new ambassador of the Cerinian people."  
A little laugh escaped the human, "Okay, now seriously, what does it mean."

The vixen got a little angry and her ears and eyebrows showed that to him, "This is no joke John!"

He noticed her serious look, "So I really am …?", he lost his common sense of building sentences. Such a high and important position, for him? First he thought the scientists would have misinterpreted something, but Sefilia checked it too, so it must have been true.

But again a little laugh escaped him. The vixen already clenched her fists, "Sorry.", John excused himself, "It's just the situation and the mission we are on. That just fits a little too well, that's all."

"I guess you have to continue your laughter later. One of the king's servants was here, while you were inside.", she told him, while she helped him, to put his arm-armor on again.  
"What did he say?", he asked curious.

"We should go back home and take all the things which we still want to use and bring them outside. Some people will help us to clean the house. We also should change our clothes and pack some things for the trip."

He looked at the both of them, she still wore her smothered and blood sprinkled lap coat and pants. The human himself still wore his armor.  
"I guess that would make a wrong impression, if you are at the CloudRunner hideout, fully equipped for battle."

She had a point there and he nodded.

On their way through the palace, the situation was almost as tough as it was before they had left the room, where they all laid dying and stormed the throne room with Randorn.  
As it seemed the rumor had already spread that John was an ambassador, but no one really dared to ask him, well almost no one. Ronald fell on his knees and begged the human to show it to him.

But John didn't wanted to much attention and promised the energized fox that he would show it to him at a later time.  
Stella even blew a whistle, when the two passed and tried to start a wave of applause for the couple, but not many people even listened to her, because they had to mind their own business at that time and the ones who had heard her were too embarrassed of her comrade so say a single word.

Before they left the palace they had to check for their friends first, Sefilia knew that the healing of the Bafomdads was successful, but she was more worried of their mental state, especially of Adarils.

Luckily the furor in front of the room had stopped and was gone for while now as it seemed. Their three friends were still inside. Katt and Beseril were sitting on a bed, the little fox was sitting on Katts lap and as it seemed he was asleep.

"How is he doing?", Sefilia asked silently, not that she accidently wakes the young canine up.

"He will be okay, his mother was right, he is a strong boy."

The young couple told their friends about their journey with Randorn and asked them to keep an eye on Adaril as long as they were gone.  
They didn't want any stranger, even if he was a Cerinian, to take care of the boy, he should be with friends now, at least for a while.

"Sure.", they both agreed, "We may have to help to rebuild the city here and then, but we will keep an eye on him.", Katt explained.  
"We will make it as much comfortable as possible for our young friend darling, don't worry.", Beseril added and put on a light smile.

"We are going home now, you should do that to and see, if there is anything you can save, before the cleaning teams throw it away.", Sefilia finally said, before they all together left the room.

Katt was still carrying Adaril and did her best not to wake him up.

"How where they even able to break through the gates? Beseril told me these gates were almost indestructible.", Katt asked, when they walked pass a big piece of a gate, that stuck in the middle of the street on the ground.

"As far as I know, the Sharpclaw used bombs to open the gates.", Sefilia answered her, "But to tell the truth I don't know anything that is so powerful that it could cause that much destruction."

Katt dropped her ears and mumbled something which was barely understandable, "The last transporter…"  
"What did you say?", John had heard it, but wasn't sure.  
"That's what was in the last transporter, those bombs.", feelings of bitterness again flew through her body.  
But before those feelings were even able to corrupt her again, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

Beseril wanted to show her that she shouldn't feel bad for what happened, she had done the best she could have done.

The people of the capital had scattered across the city and started to rebuild, what has been destroyed.

It slowly became dark and so the people started to go home, or at least find a place, where they could stay for the night.  
They saw Siren, shooing some soldiers around. They should hurry, to build a house, before it was too dark to find the way back to the barracks.  
Her face still didn't look good, but she smiled.

"It seems that your plan had worked, their conversation seemed to went on good … But they didn't just talk.", she whispered to John, "And no I won't tell you what.", she added, when she saw what John was about to ask.

They again came to the place, where they always parted. They said goodbye to their friends, because they weren't sure, if they would see each other, before they would return of their trip.

Their three friends were just out of sight, "John… ?", Sefilia seemed to be worried about something.

"Yes?"  
"There is something, I should tell you…", the vixen said hesitating.

"You didn't get pregnant, did you?", John asked joking, because he no idea, what she wanted to talk about.  
The vixen turned a bit red, "God no! … It's about Adaril … he was awake … all the time."  
John perked up his ears, "That is something you should worry about."

"I know how much he is looking up to you, but he is somehow … afraid to talk to you. But I don't know why…", she was worried about the little fox.  
John put his hands on her shoulder, "I will talk to him, as soon as I can."

When they reached Sefilias house, they were glad that everything seemed to be okay. Some windows were broken, the door was shattered and the outsides of the house were covered in scratches of claws and weapons.  
Some extinguished torches were lying on the floortiles in the kitchen.  
The Sharpclaw thought that the whole house was made of wood and simply tossed some torches through the window.

When John walked up the stairs he saw that there was no damage at the upper floor at all, everything was untouched and just got a bit dusty.  
He went downstairs again, "As far as I can see they only were on the ground floor.", he called downstairs to Sefilia, who had entered the living room before.

She didn't answer and he was already worried that a Sharpclaw may have hid somewhere inside the house.  
He jumped the last five steps of the stair down and stormed into the living room.

"Sefilia! … Whew I already thought something happened.", he was relieved, when he saw that his fear was not necessary.

She was kneeling on the ground besides a pile of wood and broken glass. Her ears were hanging down and he wasn't able to see her face.  
But he saw, how she tried to reach into the pile. Her hand was already bleeding and now she cut herself again.

He stopped her of doing it again and make her wounds even deeper. He carefully wrapped her hand in his still armored one.  
"Sefilia, what are you doing? Why do you hurt yourself?", his gaze fell on her other, unhurt hand, she was holding something in it, a piece of paper, or more, a picture.  
A face was the only thing he could see on the creased paper.

He again looked at the pile and remembered, where they were and now he understood, why she did that, "Please let me do that, I promise I will be careful.", he softly said to the speechless vixen, she nodded and slightly moved aside.  
She held the picture with her hand and watched out that no blood would drip onto it.

John worked himself down from the top of the pile till the bottom and removed everything piece for piece.  
The pictures were very important to Sefilia. They were memories of the time, when her world was still alright and peaceful. John knew that and paid extra attention that he didn't damage the pictures even more.

When he had moved the whole pile aside, he helped Sefilia on one of the couches, which weren't damaged and went to her room to get a bandage.

When he was back again, she still sat there motionless and starred at the pictures. The human didn't wanted to disturb her and so he gently took her wounded hand and opened it slightly so that he could wrap the short bandage around it.  
She twitched here and there, but didn't say a word.

When he was finished John sat down besides her and waited for her to come back again. After a while the young human wrapped his arm around her and tried to comfort the vixen.  
John felt how something soft and slightly wet touched his cheek, "Thanks." The vixen besides him said, after her lips had moved away from his face again.

Sefilia raised herself slowly of the couch and walked to the door. His eyes followed her movement and he was wondering what she was up to.  
She turned around a threw a happy smile at him, "Come on John, we still have some work to do."

They went into their rooms to change and pack some things they might need on the trip. A little bit of sorrow flooded the humans soul, when his look fell on his bed and he knew that his friends would never again cuddle up to him in the middle of the night. He remembered Randorns words, there was time for grief, but not now.

He first had some things to find. The first thing was his music player.  
He found it, where he had left it, under his pillow.  
The human put it on the bed, among some other things.  
His jacket, two pairs of underwear, two pairs of trousers and a shirt or two.

During his search he also found a dusty old box, with a loose lock on it. Born as a curious person he opened the box. The lock was mere decoration than it argued anyone out of looking at its precious insides.  
The content itself was not as precious as he thought.

The human held some dusty pieces of wood in his hands and prevented himself of making a to him well know sound, when a new has been found, 'Picture frames?', the human thought to himself, before a big smile appeared on his face.

She was just watching out that the pictures, which got damaged already didn't suffer any further harm and placed them on her working desk, which got a little dusty due the quakes, which were caused by the bombs.

"Some many things happened today.", she thought out loud, "So many terrible things… But if anything will turn out well it soon will be over and John can keep his promise.", she blushed a bit of her and John kissing each other passionately.  
But something dark crept up her mind, "But that creature… this thing… it really scared me. And this voice… I often heard it in my dreams… It is real and the pure evil! I have to talk with Randorn about this, when we come back from…", she had totally forgotten what she was doing and now hectic grabbed her movement again.  
"I have to hurry!"

The vixen bit her lips, "What should I choose? What should I choose?...", was the only thing she could say, when she stuck her head in her wardrobe, which were filled with so many dresses and other pieces of clothes.

The door of her room was open and John saw how a pile of clothes had already build up on her bed, most of the were dresses, which were totally not designed for a walk through the jungle.  
He knocked at the door frame, "Oh hi John, do you have everything already?", Sefilia asked, after she had thrown a short look at him.

"No not yet.", he wanted to surprise her and waited until she had stuck her head into her wardrobe again.  
He walked over to her working desk and did his work.

The next time, Sefilia had packed a dress from her wardrobe onto her bed, he greeted her with one of the pictures safely protected by one of the picture frames.

She smiled and kissed him shortly on his lips, "I love you."  
"I love you too.", the human answered her kiss with one of his, even more passionate ones.

Their lovely togetherness was about to intense even more, when they both started to sat down on her bed.  
That was, what they always wanted, just the two of them alone.

It seemed that they had already forgotten what happened around, if not a lout knock brought them back to reality.

They both blinked with their eyes, when they found themselves lying on Sefilias bed, she on top of him.  
He still wore his armor, but that didn't seem to bother her, because of the fact that its owner softened it for her.

She decided to go to the door so that John was able to find a suitcase in her room, where he could put his belongings into.

A group of five Cerinians was standing on the stairs of the house, "Oh it's you.", Sefilia had identified them as the helpers, who should clean the house.  
"We only need your help on the ground floor. The upper levels of the house are unharmed."

They all nodded and started to clean the mess the Sharpclaw had caused.

They seemed to be some kind of all-rounder team, their clothes were sooty, flecked with blood and all of them had a proper muscle build and short cut hair.

They weren't that talk active and just nodded and made small gestures here and then. Sefilia watched them shortly, they just checked the different furniture that stood in the room and tossed the damaged or destroyed ones out of the also broken window.

She decided to go up to her lover again, to continue her search for some fitting clothes.

She had to laugh a bit of the sight she had witnessed.  
This time he was the one, who had put his head into her wardrobe, but he wasn't just fooling around, he had already sorted out a pair of tight jeans and an also tight shirt.

"What are you doing?", she asked suspicious.  
"I'm just trying to help you finding some things for the trip."

She put her hands on her hips, "You don't let me any privacy do you?"

The human came out of his cover and looked a little sneaky at her, "Weeeeeel… I wasn't looking at your underwear yet… hmm talking of which.", he teased her and pushed head back into the wooden shelve.

"Hey.", she said a little indignant and pushed him playfully aside.

He had to laugh a little, but then came back to topic.  
"Now seriously, you won't need so many dresses. One is more than enough, if they even will to talk to us…", the human explained and took seat on her bed.

"I know…", she dropped her head slightly and confronted the human with a normal problem women have, "But I have so many of them!", she said a bit winy and hugged a big part of the ones, she had placed on her bed.  
John remembered something, he really approved back then, "You still have the dress, you wore at the audience, right?"  
"Yeah, bur…", she wasn't really sure, I she should wear it. It was made of very charming cloth, but she didn't wanted to ruin it.

"Of all the dresses I have seen so far, it is the most fitting one. It's not too dark or flashy. It is highlighting your beautiful eyes and your amazing body… Well considering that, it might be a bit too sexy…", he again added with his sneaky voice and got a pillow in his face.

"Enough soft soap talk, we really need to get dressed. It's about time.", she said with a little purr in her voice.  
"Yeah, I guess you are right, we should put that to a later point of time."

The human indeed had some lustful feelings and being a teenager didn't made his situation better, but he had a responsibility and lives were depending on his mission, so he had to take care of these things first.

He left again and went back into his room, but Sefilia had remembered him of something. He searched his dresser for the suite he had worn and found it in the deepest corner.

The small huddle he made with his clothes were just about ready to get packet in a suit case, when he suddenly remembered that he had totally forgotten to ask Sefilia for one.  
The human was sure that she just changed herself and didn't wanted to get seriously hurt.

John put his armor aside and started to strip out of his sweaty and even bloody clothes.

He threw everything with a skillful toss in a basket in the corner of the room.

Due his sudden nakedness he felt a cold chill running down his spine and so he fast started to get dressed again.  
He was just pulling up his boxer shorts, when he heard the door fly behind him open and a loud and high pitched scream, echoed through his head. He slipped, thanks to his one legged standing and still sweaty feet and hit the ground hard, with his look falling to the door, 'Ouch.', he grunted mentally and saw a well known blue tail disappearing behind the corner of his door.

He pulled his boxers up completely, jumped in his pants and grabbed a shirt, before he started to follow the vixen.  
He didn't had to go far though, she was still standing behind the corner, with her back turned to him and seemingly biting in one of her fingers.

"Is everything alright?", John asked cautious, when he saw that her ears were applied and the tips had turned red.

"…Sorry…", she whispered.  
"Well you didn't do it on purpose, so it's okay I guess.", he said to cheer her up again.

Her ears suddenly rose and she turned around, "Are you sure? I mean, I saw you naked!", the vixen explained, as she thought the human wasn't aware of the situation.

"I wasn't completely naked, I wore my boxers… well almost.", the human admitted, she had seen him naked, "But then, I also had turned my back to the door and it was just nothing more than a flash of a second.", he explained to her that she felt at least a little better.

"But still…", she still seemed to be worried, "Nudity is a very touchy topic on Cerinia. It is okay for couples who want to mate in the near future, but for freshly found lovers it is an absolute no go.", she explained, while she crumpled her shirt a little.

"Also, psychologists say that if two persons, which expose their nakedness to each other, will be flooded with hormones and soon their primal instincts take over control of their bodies to satisfy their lusty desires.", she told him that, as if it would be a nightmare crawling up her dreams every night.

"That's also the reason, why only male doctors are allowed to check their male patience and female doctors check their female patience when they have to get undressed."  
The human wasn't sure, if he should get turned on, by how she described the natural instincts of a Cerinian, or if he should feel sorry, for the sure since her childhood scared vixen.

Nonetheless, the human was a bit confused and first had to make something sure, "Uhm, then you are sure, you saw my… you know?", he didn't wanted to throw a nasty word in her face and because he didn't knew, what the correct word for 'dick and balls' was, he better left a gap there.

"I'm not sure. I actually never saw one…", she turned even redder than before and looked away in her embarrassment.  
John already figured out that she was a virgin, because she had mentioned that Cerinians only mate to have their children and during the pregnancy of the woman, because they have nothing invented yet, that could prevent the conception.  
It seemed that to say that was more painful than anything else she had told him so far, besides the story that Sabre wanted to kill him once or twice.

"To tell the truth, I haven't seen a female one too.", John suddenly said to let at least her fell better, "Well, besides the baby bath times with my mum, when she decided that her in the tube would make me feel better, thanks to the teenager nightmare mom, and all those bitchy girls that treated me like shit, I haven't seen one too.", he somehow now understood her feelings, something really just died inside him.

He wanted to change the subject, but then something else fell out of his mouth, something he tried to suppress the whole time, "Well, if you still feel sorry for what just happened, you could give me a little pay back, if you know what I mean?"  
The next thing he felt, was a hard slap over his face.

"Yeah, I know, it's my fault.", John admitted, but laughed despite the pain.  
The vixen was just about to say sorry, for what she did, but he stopped her, "It's alright, but I hope I'm not the only one, you are slapping in the face.", he smiled a bit and infected her with it.

He noticed something that stood at her side. She saw his gazes and quickly explained, why she actually came to his room.  
She handed him a medium sized, with black leather covered suitcase, "I remembered that there weren't any of these in your room and so I decided to bring you one, while I tried to find something."

"What were you looking for?", he asked of pure curiosity.

She smiled, "Just a little surprise that might happen during the trip.", she said happily and didn't let him ask further questions.

The human took the suitcase and dusted it off.  
A big cloud of dust had emerged that made both of the caught.  
"Dad bought it ones, but never used it.", Sefilia explained with little tears in her eyes caused by the dust.  
"You can see that.", John commented.

"Miss Wolferos, we have finished our work.", a male Cerinian of the team stood at the bottom of the stairs.  
"Thanks a lot.", she bowed a little down.

"Everything that seemed to be okay, is standing in the middle of the living room. And we already ordered new windows and a new door so that no wild animals enter and leave as they wish.", the blue fox said friendly and bowed down as well.  
After that he and his workers left the house.

It wasn't sure, if they continued working or finally were able to go to sleep, but that wasn't part of the business of the young couple.

They were just about to split up in their rooms again, when his own smell remembered him of something.  
"Sefilia, do you know if the water is running?", John asked, slightly disgusted by his own smell.

"No, the pipes got damaged during the attack. It will take them a while to get the water running again.", she explained to him.  
"Bummer… I guess I have to pack a pair of trunks too.", he thought out loud.  
The vixen was a bit surprised, "Is it really that urgent?"

"I once read in the library that CloudRunners have a good sense of smell and to be honest, I am covered in sweat and stinking Sharpclaw blood."

She was too busy to check it yet, but the vixen didn't smell good as well and perfume would make it even worse.  
"Let's hope we find someplace where we can wash ourselves.", she agreed and went back to her room.

As she had told him, the suitcase was empty, but there still was some dust inside.  
The human went to the window and shook it out.

While he did so, he looked at the surrounding buildings. Many of them looked similar to Sefilias, broken windows and doors. In some of them the people already installed new windows and doors, but others didn't need that, because they had burned down to their foundation walls.

All in all, the mood o the city was dark and the upcoming dusk didn't make it look better, but then there still was hope.  
Among all this desperate looks was something that still made live worth living it.  
The sound of laughing kids, which ran through the street and played catch, let reappear a smile on the sad faces of the people standing beside their destroyed homes.

John thought how Randorn wanted to manage a night trip and he hoped he found a comfortable solution, stumbling one time through the jungle was one time too often.  
He felt how a cold breeze was coming up and better closed the window again.

The human grabbed the things he had huddled on the bed with his player and trunks and put them all together inside the old leather case.

He was ready now and put on his jacket and went out of his room.

He wanted to see, if Sefilia had already finished, but when he tried to enter he noticed that the door was locked.  
The human knocked at the door, "Sefilia, are you in there?", he was afraid that she didn't trust him anymore, after everything he said.  
"Yes John.", she answered back.

"Why did you lock the door?"

"Well, I'm still getting dressed and I just wanted to avoid a problem like it happened, when I came into your room and I guess I were right.", she said amused.  
The thought that Sefilia stood behind that door, stark naked aroused the human, "Oh just cut it off already John!", the vixen said slightly annoyed, but with a little laughter in her voice.  
"We will have time for that later, just have a little patience."

There was a knock at the doorframe, before they could continue with their conversation.

John went downstairs and saw a messenger of the king standing under it, "You should come to the eastern gate, Randorn is already waiting for you there.", he said, bowed and walked away again.  
John didn't even had the chance to bow down as well, this person seemed to have lots of work to do.

He went back upstairs and again knocked at Sefilias door, Sefilia a messenger was here, they are waiting for us at the eastern gate!"  
"W-wha… Already?... Fine I'm coming!"

He heard the door lock snap open and the she presented him her dress up.

She wore a dark-green blouse, with a blue shirt underneath. A brown leather belt with some Cerinian symbols on them supported her green tight jeans. And her feet were sheltered by some closed shoes for rougher terrain.  
The vixen also carried a case with each of her hands.

"Do you have everything you need?", he said half joking and smiled a bit.  
She shook her head and smiled, "In the other one are my instruments and some medicine dummy.", she said amused.  
Being a gentleman at heart, John couldn't let her stand there with so many luggage, "May I help you with that?", he asked friendly and she handed him her clothes.  
"Thanks.", she said, before she closed the door of her room again.

While he carried both of their bags downstairs, he was surprised that only her clothes had at least twice the weight of his own stuff. He shook his head and grinned a bit, because she still wasn't able to decide what to wear.

"The jacket is still fitting you well.", she commented, while they walked downstairs. John just answered with a smile.  
He had to put down their things again, because he was still walking in socks around and first had to get his old, more durable shoes on.

"It is strange.", Sefilia said, while he had sat down.  
"What do you mean?", John asked, while doing the first shoe.  
"The streets look so empty and lonely. Everything looks so sad… But still I'm happy, because I know that everything will be over soon.", she said with a longing voice.  
"I don't want to ruin theses thoughts, but we first need the help of the CloudRunners, or else it won't look good.", the little pessimist in the human said.  
"I am sure everything will be good.", she said and grabbed together with him their luggage again and walked to the eastern gate.

It was already dark, when they arrived there and what they saw affright them in awe. There were the gate had been before, was a crater on the ground and a big hole in the wall. The lower part of the gate was almost completely gone. Only some remaining parts stuck in buildings around them or laid on the street.  
The upper part of the gate was lying near the hole. These parts maybe got loosened out of their hinges so that they didn't fell on people which just passed by.

Only some lights of the streets were working and the ones which worked barely gave any light, it was just enough that people didn't walk against the walls of the buildings.

Some people with Palis, where standing near the crater. Small bright dots were visible in the Palis faces, it seemed that they could easily see at night due their natural, cat like ability.

When John and Sefilia came closer they identified the people as Siren, Beseril, Katt, Adaril and Randorn, who was sitting on a carriage.  
Their friends still wore the clothes they had worn before.

John saw how Katt whispered something into Adarils ears, but the boy just shook his head and hid behind the feline. She tried to talk to him, but he didn't wanted to.

Two of the Palis they had seen, were not nonfriable to the carriage, "What's on the carriage Randorn?", John asked, when they stood beside their friends, when he saw that it got covered by a canvas.  
"CloudRunners are bigger than us, so they need more supplies to take care of their wounds.", he explained, "Do you have everything you need?", he asked back.  
They nodded, "Good, then fixate them on the Palis and then lets go.".

One of the Palis had walked up to Sefilia and nudged her with its horse muscle at her cheek. She giggled a bit, "Oh hey… It's you.", she caressed it a bit on it's face.  
"You know each other?", the human asked incuriosity, while he locked her luggage at the side of the horse-like creature.

"Back then, when she still was a foal and I a little girl father paid me some riding lessons. We came along well. I always called her Snowwalker, because of her feet.", he saw what she was talking about. The Pali had snow white feet and even a part of her legs where white.  
"You already rode that other hack too John.", Siren said and pushed the Pali into the humans direction.  
"Really? Because I didn't paid that much attention the last time.", the mount snuffeled strongly in his face, "Oh…. Yeah… know I remember you.", the human said, while he tried to get the bad breath out of his face.

The human also fixated his case at the side of his Pali, when their friends came to them to say good bye.  
Adaril was the only one, who didn't wanted to come to them and stood a bit away at a wall.  
"Sorry, I don't know what's wrong with him.", Katt excused him, "See you soon guys and soldier boy, watch your loins, will ya?", she said with a blink of one of her eyes and pushed her elbow in Johns rips.  
The human rolled his eyes, while Beseril approached them and hugged them both deeply, "I wish you luck my friends.", but this time John watched, where Beserils hand was moving to.

Siren was the last one, who approached them, "I am glad that you are alright again Sefilia. I and the royal majesties wish you best of luck and back in one piece.".  
"Thanks for your help John. Today we could reach a new level … He and I.", she didn't wanted to appear that soft and punched the human hard at his shoulder.

They all backed a bit up, when their friends saddled the mounts.

They were good to go, when Randorn tossed the both of them something, welding goggles, "Put them on to see in the darkness.", he explained and let the reins in his hand flick.  
The carriage slowly put on speed and the two young riders followed him into the dark of the night.  
The eremite was already a bit ahead and so they didn't see their friends waving with their arms.

The outside of the city was drenched in total darkness.

When the human moved the goggles over his eyes and everything became bright. It looked like the light of the moon had intensed on a big scale and flooded even the smallest corner of their environment.  
He took a short look over to Sefilia.  
Their eyes met in the darkness, what made them both smile a bit and they turned their heads back to the front.

He tried to throw a peak under the hood of Randorn, but he got covered in a dark shroud.

Before they entered the jungle, he looked a bit at the environment. The fields and grasslands were trampled down and some big stress marks were visible. 'That had to be the bombs.', John thought to himself.  
Something bugged him since the end of the battle, "How many people were able to flee of the Sharpclaw?", he called to Randorn, who was still sitting on the carriage in front of them, "Many! They only attacked from two sides. The biggest part of the population escaped into the jungle or reached the palace in time. But unfortunately is the number of the victims still unbelievable high.", John cursed silently and Sefilia sadly dropped her ears.

The stayed for a while on the normal path and Randorn always was in front of them and had the lead.  
Thank to the goggles the whole jungle appeared like it was day, only that less animals were hear- and visible.

The human didn't know, how late it was, when Randorn lifted his hand and let their small convoy into the jungle. He only knew one thing, he was damn tired.

They stopped on a little clearance and climbed of their horse-like mounts. They tied them to the branches of the trees.  
Randorn did that with the help of his staff and let his reins hover to the next tree and let them knot each other.  
"Here.", the eremite handed both of them a big blanket from underneath the canvas.  
"Make the best of your situation, I will go now and be back in the morning. And Sefilia?", he turned to the young vixen.  
"Yes?", she was a bit surprised, what could the eremite want from her?  
"Take this, you will need it.", he handed her a lighter.  
John was about to stop him, but then the old man already had disappeared.

Sefilia tested the lighters functionality, "John, can you go and cut down some dry branches of the trees? I will go and gather some leaves."  
"Alright.", the human nodded, "If anything happens, just scream and I will be there asap."

She nodded back and then they parted.

It didn't took the human long to find some dry branches of the strange jungle trees, so he cut them down and carried them under his arm.  
He was still able to see their camp and didn't have to walk that far for his own ease.

He arrived about the same time as Sefilia. As John, she had her arms full of leaves and placed them on the ground.  
Together with the branches and the stones, they built a campfire.  
It took them a while. During their construction the Pali sat down and lowered their heads.

When they were done, Sefilia lit the fire.

Since the carriage was too far away and apparently loaded to the brim, they sat down besides a mossy log that stood near the fire.  
They both laid down, with a root between them and covered themselves with their blankets and tried to get at least some sleep.  
John put of his goggles and laid his sword aside, but in range and closed his eyes.  
Unfortunately the covers weren't as thick as they thought and soon a cold was annoying them.

But still, the human was about to fade into the world of dreams, when a sneeze woke him again.

"Sefilia?", he asked, just in case someone else was around.  
"Yes?", the vixen answered slightly embarrassed.  
"Are you cold?"  
"A bit. Why?"  
"I have an idea, but I first want to hear your opinion about it.", he wasn't sure, if he should ask her that, after what he did in her house.  
"I'm listening.", she knew what he was about to ask and smiled a bit.  
"You can, well only if you want… To share some warmth…", he got interrupted, when he felt a sudden weight distributed over his body.  
"Of course I want and know lay this big warm arms around me, you big shy soldier.", she purred, while snuggling deeper into his embrace and wrapping an extra layer of blanket around them.

The vixen was lying on top of him and her ears were tickling his face, but that didn't bother him and still he had to avoid again some teenager feelings that tried to pump more blood through a special part of his body than he wanted.

"Sleep tight.", Sefilia whispered silently and placed a kiss on his chin.  
For the human it was too much movement to kiss her too, so he simply moved the blanket up a bit higher shortly under her own chin to make sure she wasn't freezing anymore.

He himself felt good, with his love in his arms and the stars over their heads and soon only their breathing was hearable.

_**Author notes:**_

_**Hey everyone, it's me again.**_

_**To stop the negative thoughts of some people, this is not the end of Cerinia. The story is finished, when it is and I'll sure tell you, when this has come.**_

_**But not only a new chapter of my story has opened, also a new chapter of live has started. I can proudly say of myself that I have a job now.**_

_**It sound funny, but because of my job, I have more free time than I had in school before and now I try to post at least every month a new chapter of one of my stories.**_

_**Sorry or the ones, who are waiting for a new chapter of AWaaD, the next chapter is almost finished, I just need to check some things and then it can online too.**_

_**The next chapter of Cerinia will come out in the first or second week of October, so stay tuned folks ;)**_


	22. Family

**Chapter 22**

**Family**

John yawned a bit, when he felt the sunlight on his face, "Good morning hun. Are you finally awake too?", the human heard the lovely voice of his vixen, "And I thought you didn't drink anything. You shouldn't do that, if you don't get along with the aftermath.".

The human heard the squeaking of a window and felt a sudden wind flurry rolling over his skin, 'Wait a second… my skin?'  
He looked down at himself. From the tip of his toes to his naval he was covered in a thick, white blanket. His chest was undraped and so felt his body underneath the cover.

He laid in a king-sized bed. The walls of the room, he was inside, were pure white and the floor was seemingly made of one piece of marble.  
In front of the bed stood a wooden dresser, with a big lying bouquet and a positioned card at its side.

His back hurt a bit and when he turned around he saw that the also snow-white pillow he had rested his upper body on was stained with blood, "What the…!?".  
He heard Sefilia giggle a bit, "Sorry. I couldn't hold myself back. Well you neither…", she again giggled slightly.

John looked into the bright light, where he could hear Sefilias voice. His sight slowly went clear, when he saw her.  
The beautiful, blue vixen was barely covered by the silken and slightly see-through curtains. She just had opened the window and the slightly cold breeze that came into the room let her hair dance in the air.

First her gaze was dreamy looking outside, but she felt his looks and turned around to him.  
She slowly walked to him, leaving the only cover she had aside and presenting herself and her body as god had given it to her.  
The roundings and curves that made his body flame with heat.

The vixen shook her perfectly round hips, with every step she made in such an ensnaring way as nobody else the human had ever seen did, her tail and flat stomach always shaking with the same exotic rhythm that made his heart jump.

Her ample breasts jiggled erotically with every step she did and even jumped a little, when she stopped at his side, put her hands on her hips and exposed her moistened womanhood right at the height of his eyes, "Do you like, what you see big boy?", she asked with a teasing voice looking down to John.  
After a moment she sat down at the end of the bed, slightly giggling, making her chest jump again a bit. Now he also saw her mark, glowing bright in the sunlight.

There was only one question running through the head of the confused human, 'What kind of a fucking blackout is this!?'.  
Everything was so clear, but then again, 'Were they really married? How was he able to forget something that important?', he thought, when he looked at the bed he was lying on and the bouquet in front of him.

"Do you really don't remember what happened last night?", the vixen cooed erotically, "What a bummer."

During his thoughts the human had drifted off and now again came back to the here and now.  
Sefilia had changed her seating position and now waited on all fours at the end of the bed, eating him up with her eyes, "I guess I have to put even more afford in the coming event that you will never dare to forget a single part of it for the rest of your life.", she purred.  
The human was more than paralyzed by the sight he got.

She slowly started to crawl up to him, letting her hips and erotic breasts swing a little bit, with every movement she did.  
The lust drunken vixen stopped, when she had reached his upper body and wrapped one of her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a deep, wet kiss and pressing their naked bodies together.

Their tongues wrestled a long and wet fight, until she removed hers again.

"I don't know, if you're fully awake yet, but I think your friend already is.", her other hand had slowly moved down his chest, feeling every abb of her well trained mate.  
But she didn't stop, when she came to an end, no, she moved even lower, until her fingers found hold on his already slightly swollen member.  
"Oh it doesn't seem so.", she teasingly whispered, "Then I guess, I have to wake him up again and please my husband as good as I can.", she said with a naughty grin.

Her husband? He was surprised of the sudden personality change of her, were the psychologists maybe right?  
At that moment the human didn't really care, if or if not.

The vixen pulled him closer for a lustful kiss. This time she intensed the speed she moved her head and tongue around.  
She removed her tongue again, drawing small strings of liquid from their mouths, looking at him lustful, with her big blue orbs. Now she started amatory liking his cheek, making him send a shiver down his spine.

Her liking intensified with every second and soon she had found away over to the other side of his face.

Something felt strange for the human.  
The vixen had fully concentrated herself on her tongue skills and lost all attention to the rest of his or her body. Also the amount of liquid on his face had increased rapidly.

This wasn't an erotic act anymore, she was really liking his face!

John suddenly heard an amused laughter echoing through his head and his sight again got blurry.

When the human opened his eyes again, he saw the muzzle of a Pali that had rolled its tongue out and covered the humans face with its own fluids.  
The human gently, but disgusted moved the muzzle away and dried his face with the sleeve of his jacket of the Pali-spid.  
At the Pali's side stood the woman, he just had dreamed of holding her stomach of laughter and nearly bursting up in tears.

The sun had sat for a while and the light was shining through the tree tops on the little clearance.

"I'm sorry John, but I couldn't resist.", the vixen explained still with a little laughter in her voice, "I heard you saying my name in your sleep."  
"Bummer.", the human mumbled.

"Huh?", Sefilia was wondering what he meant.

He was a bit surprised, "Didn't you read my thoughts?".  
"I tried to break that habit.", she smiled a bit, "So, tell me about your dream!", the human had made her curious.

"It was a nice dream.", the human started. John wasn't sure, if he should tell her that they had sex,  
"It also could have been a vision… Well, we were married."

"Really?", she was more happily surprised than shocked.

The vixens face started to glow in curiosity, "What did I wear? How did my dress look?", she asked hectically.  
"Well… uhm… yeah… it was more after the ceremony, you know?", the human tried to find the right words to describe his actual dirty dream.

"It was more … the aftermath … in the morning.", he said while putting his index fingers together.

The vixen slowly turned red, "You mean … after we did … it?"

The human noticed the uncomfortable feeling and stood up to comfort her a bit.  
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently on her cheek.  
"Nothing happened. As I said, it was the aftermath.", his acting seemed to calm the vixen down and she started to smile again.

A warm breeze drew through the leaves of the trees. John enjoyed it and watched, how it ran through Sefilias hair.  
But the wind turned soon and it remembered John of something what he didn't like much.

The human remembered the good sense of smell of the CloudRunner.

"Say Sefilia, did you see any rivers or lakes on our ride?", he asked a bit ashamed.  
"Yes, not far away. Do you want to go fishing?", the vixen asked happy again.

"No, I just remembered how good the noses of the CloudRunner are and when I smell myself now …"

"You too?", Sefilia asked surprised.  
"Huh?", the human was a bit surprised.  
"I worked for days and didn't have time to wash.", again she blushed a bit.

It was a short moment of silence, when Johns gentleman again took control over him, "So do you want to go first?"

She started to smile again, "Well, actually I wanted to show you my little surprise.", she opened his luggage and tossed a pair of swimming trunks over to him.

John now knew what she wanted to do, but then another question popped up in his head, "And where is yours?"  
"Why do you think I was freezing last night?", she said with a cocky smile.  
"Oh you sneaky devil.", John commented and Sefilia took his hand and took the lead to the river she had seen.

They walked about ten minutes through the jungle, when they finally found the place, Sefilia had seen in the night.  
But the part of the river where they had arrived didn't look that good.

Big rocks under the surface made the water churn up and let appear it dangerous. So the followed the stream a bit until the finally found a place, where the water didn't look dirty and wasn't that fast anymore.

Sefilia found a sandy bank, which got divided by a big rock. But it didn't just got divided, the rock almost blocked the whole stream so that it had changed the direction of the original water tide.

Totally ignoring the looks of the human, Sefilia removed he shirt and pants and presented a two parted bikini.  
It's upper part was of a silky, almost pure white fabric, with three golden arrows, which were upside down, on its front.  
It's cups perfectly covered her amazing breasts and despite the look of the fabric, didn't even gave the slightest possibility to look through it. The human even thought that they were bouncing a bit under the weight it actually had to carry.

Her stomach of course was totally free and presented her slender proportions, her soft fur and a little belly button hole.  
The lower part looked like normal underwear, only that it had a thin, medium long, veil at its front and backside.  
But still it made her lower body half look even more appealing and even more proportioned than it had looked in his dream  
"I'll wait at the backside for you.", she coed softly too him, before the vixen had disappeared behind the rock shacking and swinging all of her goods, without even noticing it herself.

John could barely await the sight of his vixen that was waiting behind the rock for him.

He jumped out of his clothes as fast as possible, put on the trunks Sefilia had given him and walked slowly behind the rock.

When he walked past the corner, the vixen wasn't lounging her gorgeous body on the sandy shore of the river, she already was in the water so that only her head was popping out.  
Her ears twitched a bit and she turned around, "Hey John, come in, the water is amazing!", she said with a happy voice and splashed some of the water into his direction.

The human, a bit displeased that the water was denying the sight on Sefilia, he moved his own, well trained body into the water.  
To his surprise the water was just a little cold, there had to be some warm wells around which fed the river with their water.

They came a little closer to each other and the human already thought she wanted to lean in for a kiss.  
So he approached her with a slow movement and leaned a bit forward, to come even closer to her. The vixen smiled and also moved closer to him, but just at the moment their lips wanted to connecta cold splash of water hit the human right in the face.

John shook the water of and saw the sly smirk of the vixen, "Oh you!", he said with a little laughter in his voice and answered her with the same kind of attack the vixen had already launched at him.

Soon, as expected, the next couple moments had turned out into a water fight first class.  
Sefilia used all her strength and again to humans glee all of her body to push him through the water.

Exhausted of their fighting they both dragged each other to a little hole in the stone, which was at the water and the both of them could sit in.  
First John sat down and let Sefilia sit on top of his lap. They both leaned a bit back and enjoyed the cold water, which was still covering their body shortly till their sternum.

They shared a little kiss, before they started for they actually had come to this place, to wash themselves.

First they started to water each other's hair and stroke it, to get the little bids of dust and dirt out of them.  
Sefilia loved Johns hair for its uniqueness. No person on Cerinia but him had such wonderful brown hair.

John recognized the natural, sweet aroma of Sefilias hair, it's silky touch and the barely non existing weight of it and enjoyed taking care of it.

Soon they had let go of their hair and now caressed each other's body.  
They both paid extra attention that they didn't accidently touch the private zones of each other, not they made an awkward situation of their wonderful moment.

Soon they decided it would be a good idea to get out of the water, for the sake of their own skin.  
The couple dragged itself to the shore of the river and laid down at the side of each other.

The wetness of her fur, gave the blue color of her already wonderful fur an even more darker tone so that it appeared almost dark blue.

They watched the blue sky and the clouds, which were slowly moving over them. They both listened to the river and its water running down its way to its unknown destination and the birds in the trees, which weren't disturbed of the presence of the two lovers.  
The vixen and the human felt the warm light of the sun, warming their bodies and drying them of the cold water.

It appeared that the both of them had at the same moment the same idea. The lovers both had sad up and kissed each other passionate on each other's lips.  
Sefilia pushed him slowly down again without letting their connection breaking of.

She was now lying on top of him, pressing her luscious breasts against his chest and letting her head rest on his shoulders.  
Her tail had wrapped around of one of his legs like a snake and gently comforting it with its silky fur.  
The human was too happy, than letting any blood flow in a direction, where it could kill their happy moment now.

He almost fell asleep, when Sefilia remembered him of something, "We should better go back now. I don't want to get in trouble, because Randorn was waiting for us and gets angry.", she said a bit down, because she now had totally killed the situation and they were once again dragged back into the present, "But let us finish this sometime later.", she said smiling again and raised herself.

Sefilia gave John some time to get into his normal clothes again, while she was orientation herself to find the way back to their camp.  
The vixen herself simply slipped back into her tight jeans and her shirt and remembered their movement again.  
Soon John was back, fully dressed and Sefilia took over the lead again and dragged him back to the camp.

When they arrived Randorn still wasn't there. So they tied off the Palis so that they could eat something.  
"How long do you think Randorn will be gone?", Sefilia asked, after a while.  
John shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. For me, he is still the same big mystery as for you. He just does whatever he wants."

John heard a noise and his reflexes led his one hand to the handle of his sword and the other one pushed Sefilia behind his back, "What's wrong …?", Sefilia asked, but John hushed her.  
He tried to locate the source of the noise, when suddenly Sefilia pointed at Randorn's wagon, underneath the cover.

John nodded and ordered Sefilia to stand where she was and slowly approached the vehicle with the drawn blade.  
Sefilia tried to reach Randorn with her thoughts, but something was wrong, 'I hope they didn't find me.'.  
The vixen knew that voice.  
"John, wait!", was the only thing she could say, before the human had grabbed the covers with the drawn blade and threw them in the air.

"What are you doing here!?", the human was surprised and angry, but lowered his weapon.

John couldn't believe his eyes, when he saw the little fox, he just knew too well, cowering between the crates and barrels of Randorn's cart.  
John put his sword away and hauled the scared Adaril out of the cart, "Why did you do that Adaril?", John snubbed the little fox.

But the little fox just dropped his ears and a small tear dropped down from his nose.  
"Don't be so harsh John!", Sefilia threw back to the human and went to the little fox.  
She kneed down and hugged the little one, "But it could get dangerous! I didn't take my sword for nothing!", he struggled.  
"He still is a kid! And you know what he went through."

He wanted to talk back to her, but he thought it would be wise not to anger her even more. The human went back to the tree they had slept the night before and sat down with crossed arms.  
He watched the kid whispering something in Sefilias ear, it seemed to be urgent, Sefilia nodded and she and Adaril disappeared for a moment in the bushes.

She was a bit angry on John. He knew what happened to Adaril and still he treated the young fox that hard. She just didn't understood him anymore.  
"Sefilia, are you still there?", the fox voice echoed from behind the next tree.  
"Yeah and there are still no Sharpclaw here.", she answered, "Are you finished yet?"  
"Please don't stress me."

John was still snapped and waited for the return of Sefilia, when suddenly Randorn came out of the nowhere, "Did you know that Adaril was on your cart?", John asked, when he was close enough to hear him.  
"I knew that he wanted to talk to you.", the eremite said calm.  
"Couldn't he tell me that in the capital?"  
"He just wanted to talk with you, no one else should be around. That's why I allowed him to hide on the carriage … and don't worry, I have everything with me the kid could need on our trip, even some clothes for the meeting.".

The human wheezed and stood up, "But what if he gets hurt?"  
"Do you really think, I would let a kid come with us, if the trip would be dangerous?", Randorn answered him, while taking care of his Pa'li.  
"The Sharpclaw are retreating to their fortress. So there should be nothing we should worry about."  
"Do the others know where he is?", the still angry human asked him.  
"I left a message which says that he is okay."

"Good morning Randorn.", Sefilia greeted him polity, when she also came back to the camp again, her angry glare immediately wandering back to the human.  
"Good morning Sefilia."  
"Good morning mister Randorn.", the little fox greeted him as well.  
"A good morning for you too Adaril."

Sefilia just wanted to talk with Randorn, when John interrupted her, "Randorn knows anything about Adaril, he knew that he came with us."  
"It didn't wanted to ask that.", Sefilia spat at the human and then turned back to the eremite, "But still thanks."  
"Where have you been all night Randorn?", Adaril suddenly asked him, when Sefilia again tried to talk with the old man, John chuckled a bit and again she threw an angry glare at him.

"I met with my friend Kyte.", he answered and caught Johns attention.  
"Kyte? How is he doing?"  
"Good. He sends his regards."

"Why did you meet him?", Sefilia was now finally able to talk.  
"Many CloudRunner will come to the meeting.", Randorn explained, "They want to take revenge on the Sharpclaw and so they willed to listen, what we have to say.", he nodded please.  
"When will we be there?", Sefilia asked again.  
"In about two days at eve, if we won't dawdle."

"I brought food and water in the carriage so that we could save some time.", Randorn explained, when he noticed the human leaving to look for something to eat.

He got a small crate from the wagon and opened it. He gave everyone of the three a bread or in Johns case two apple sized fruits. Then he took a second crate and gave everyone of the three a sack filled with water.  
"Aren't you hungry?", Adaril asked, when he had noticed that the hooded man didn't save anything for himself.  
"I already ate, but thanks.".

While John sat down at the tree again, Sefilia and Adaril settled themselves on the back of the carriage.  
Adaril enjoyed the meal, it seemed that he didn't eat anything since the attack, his ears rose, while devouring what he had.

John like Sefilia, didn't wanted to talk with each other and so they rode through the coming day. For security issues Adaril sad besides Randorn on the carriage.

John was the first one of the two who regret their little fight. He had overreacted. He wanted Adaril to be save and didn't wanted to see him in danger. He didn't wanted to lose him like they lost his mother.  
He tried to make eye contact with Sefilia, but every time he tried she looked away, when their gazes met.

After some hours Sefilia had cooled down as well. He motherly instincts tried to protect Adaril, even when they weren't actually related. She felt that John really meant to say sorry, but she wanted him on tenterhooks for a while longer.  
Every time he now looked at her, she again looked away, but then she had to smile a bit.

Adaril didn't recognize anything of it. He was busy watching their environment in the hope he would see a rare or unknown animal.  
They had left the street for a long time now and John and Sefilia had no idea where they were, but Randorn seemed to have a plan and they followed him.

Again it got dark and Sefilia still played a little with John.

Still down the human took the food and the water from Randorn and sat down a bit away from the camp to sleep.  
But after a few meters and passed a few bushes he found himself at a steep cliff.

The stars, the moon and the galaxy over his head shown that bright that there was no need for his night vision goggles.  
He put them off to watch the beautiful night sky with his own eyes.

He found a big log and sat on it, not that he accidently fell of the cliff. The view of the Cerinian jungle at a night like this was just breathtaking.  
The way the light of the stars shown on the rooftops of the trees and it got reflected of the water of the many big and small lakes and rivers was just amazing.

John starred at the sky for a while, when he heard a rummaging from behind, "John?", it was Adarils voice, which was calling for him.  
"Over here.", he answered back, exhilarated by the view.

The little fox hesitated, until the human patted at the free space at his side, "I won't be mad, promised!"  
He was approaching slowly. He was not afraid of John, but a cliff still looked imposing and dangerous, even if he had the goggles and John around him.

He finally sat beside him and watched, like John, the scenery silently and in awe.

"Randorn said you wanted to talk with me?", John asked after a while.  
"Yeah ...", he asked a bit shy.  
"Now you got the chance.", the human encouraged him.

"It's because mum isn't here anymore.", he said and sniffed a bit, "I have no other relatives and Beseril said that I have to go to another family which should take care of me. I'm not allowed to stay with him, because he has no wife.", he said sad and dropped his ears.  
"But I don't want to go any strangers and away from you. I'm not even sure that I will see you and Sefilia ever again.", the talking of the little fox let the human smile happily.

"And that's why I wanted to ask you … Can't I stay with you?", the little fox asked, with big, sad, begging eyes.  
The human didn't knew what he should answer, technically they weren't a family either, but he couldn't say no to the orphaned kid, "You surely can stay with us."  
"Yeah!", the kid shouted out happily, but the human tried to calm him down.  
"Psssht … Sefilia is sleeping. Or do you want to get in trouble with her?".

There was a moment of silent, until Adaril had to ask the human something, "What is 'it'?"  
"What do you mean?", John asked a bit in trance by the view and his own tired body.  
"I heard you talking at the morning and you said that you dreamed of her after you had done 'it'."

John buried his face in his hands. This was no topic for little kids, "You know … this is very complicated … It is something a man and a woman do, when they like each other really much.", the human tried to explain, without mention anything that had to do with sex.  
"Like a kiss?", Adaril interrupted him.  
"Yeaaaah … you could say so."  
"Eeww … then I don't wanna know it.", Adaril stick out his tongue and dropped his ears again.

"What are you talking about?", Sefilia was standing several feet behind them and they both turned around.  
"Man's business … Sefilia? Did you forgive me or why are you talking with me?", John asked confused.  
"For a while now, Adaril seemed to have forgotten to mention it.", her sentence was accompanied by a silent 'Whoops', of Adaril.  
She said down at Johns other side and placed a kiss on his cheek. Adaril again put out his tongue.

"Listen Sefilia.", John started to tell her about the news.  
"Huh?"  
"When we are back home Adaril will live at our place."  
"How long?"

She was happy, when she heard the answer, "Forever! But I should have better talked to you before …"  
"No that's great!", she interrupted him.  
"Really?", the human wanted to be sure.  
"He is a friend of the family and he likes us that much. Why not?"

Adaril had to yawn loudly, "It's about time to go to sleep.", John said.  
"Whaa, but I'm not tired at …", the little fox had to interrupt his sentence to yawn again.  
John took Adaril on his arm and together they went back to the camp.

This time Sefilia took care of the bed, while John still carried, the meanwhile sleeping fox.  
Unfortunately they weren't that lucky to find another old tree and so Sefilia used Adarils blanket and padded their sleeping spot a bit out.  
John put the deep sleeping boy in the middle, so they may weren't able to closer to each other anymore, but first they had to take care of their new family member.

They gave each other a good night kiss and laid down at Adarils side. The young fox meanwhile had curled up to a ball, what made him in Sefilias eyes even cuter.  
They had to move up a bit closer to each other, because Adaril seemed to be the only one, who had a comfortable sleep.

John could barely believe it, they really were a family, not a traditional though. John and Sefilia weren't married and Adaril wasn't their son, but still it felt like a family and that was the fact that counted.  
They may had already thought of own kids, but being only seventeen that time that was totally out of question.  
First they wanted to raise Adaril to a good young man so that his mother could rest in peace.

John was the first one of them, who was awake at the next morning and wasn't able to fall asleep again.  
He couldn't stand up and get at least some movement, because he was afraid he could wake Adaril and Sefilia.  
The human took a look at the people, which were lying at his side.  
Sefilia, his beautiful vixen and Adaril, the little fox.  
John had to admit, he really looked a bit cute, rolled up to a ball and hugging his own fuzzy tail.

Sefilia and Adaril woke up slightly after him and sat themselves up.  
Adaril again went on a little adventure trip and followed some insects, which were crawling around near the camp.  
The young couple both kept at least on eye on him, while talking to each other.

The topic of course was their 'family'.

"I know, you were serious about that, but are you sure?", Sefilia asked first.  
John scratched the back of his head, "We are a man and woman, right? So why shouldn't we allowed to take care of a young boy?"  
"I don't know the exact terms of our laws in this kind of case. I actually never thought of adoption before … I-I just never expected a situation like this.", she said a bit down.

The human reached for her hand and held it with his own, "Don't worry. I'm sure, we will be allowed to take care of him, when we explain our situation to whoever has to decide of this.".

They were just eating, when Randorn came back to the camp again. He refreshed their supplies, because today's meal took all the food and water they had left.

That day Sefilia and John were riding together again. Their Pa'li were that close to each other that they were almost touching. During their trip John tried to gather some flowers for Sefilia and snatched them of the trees and bushes while riding past them.

When he had about ten in his own hands, he handed them to the vixen, which thanked him with a blown kiss.

When the evening came closer and the sun drenched the teal sky in an orange light, John was able to see, between the gaps of the tree tops a mountain rising, which tip disappeared in the clouds of the sky.  
"Randorn, is this our destination?", John shouted to the front.  
His question was more or less not necessary, the old man didn't answer and instead a loud shouting of a CloudRunner echoed through the sky.  
"This is the place, where the high council of the CloudRunner is meeting.", the eremite explained.

Randorn stopped at a path, which seemed to be too slim for the feet of the Pa'li and climbed of the carriage.  
"We will go up this path, the CloudRunner will get our things.", Randorn said and started to climb up the rocky way. The rest of them followed him without asking further questions.

Randorn was in the front and Adaril was right behind him, Sefilia again was behind Adaril, to watch out that the little fox didn't fool around and fall down. John was the last one in the row, watched out that Sefilia didn't get hurt and looked around, because they might walk into a trap.  
Everything was just too quiet.

They slowly rose and climbed higher and soon they were looking down to the tree tops of the jungle.  
Here and there they had to stop, because Randorn seemed not to be as fit as everyone always thought.  
The eremite cursed silently every time he sat down.  
John smiled slightly, because he was more human than he appeared, when they had met the first time.

During their climbing they suddenly heard a loud neighing of their Pa'li, John and Sefilia were worried, but Randorn explained them that the CloudRunner just had gathered their things of the carriage and the backs of the mounts.

Since that moment they saw and heard the CloudRunner more often, some of them were circling the mountain or entering an opening, they didn't see at a much higher level of the alp.  
The voices of the dinosaurs were hearable as well, what brought some questions into the humans head, "How do we have to act, when we face the council?"  
"It's simple. It is similar to the behavior of the Cerinian royalty, don't talk without permission, keep your stance and don't get too close to them."

After they had reached about 600 feet height above the jungle and the sun slowly touched the horizon, they arrived at an entrance.

The suns position was perfect. Its light directly fell into the entrance of the cave and lit it up.  
The cave was deep, not even the sunlight could reach its end. Atop the sidewalls of their way, was a second floor, where several other caves opened their way.  
Randorn was the first one of them, who entered the cave and the rest of them followed him, this time at the side of each other, with Adaril in their mid.

The darkness came closer, but much too fast. John had forgotten that the sun continued with its daily routine and continued sinking again.  
They were about to put on the goggles again, when suddenly a light source of the roof enlighten their path. But that wasn't the only thing that had caught heir attention.  
Steppes were hearable, which scratchy noises came from the second floor.

Adaril moved closer to Sefilia and John, which prepared themselves to protect him from whatever might be up there to attack them.

They had reached the dark end of the cave, which wasn't more than a simple dead end.  
"They will greet us soon and don't put on the goggles.", Randorn said shortly after they had stopped, "They might catch it as an insult."

"Be greeted Randorn.", an old, croaking, deep voice echoed through the cave, "We have already awaited you and we will talk with you as soon as possible.", it seemed that Randorn knew the owner of the voice.  
"Thanks.", the eremite said and nodded.  
"Who are the others? You know, we don't like strangers.", he didn't sound very pleased.

"This young man is the ambassador of the Cerinians.", he pointed with his staff to John, "John take a step forward and show him your mark.", he now slightly whispered to the human and he did as ordered, turned his sleeve up and held his mark into the darkness.  
"He and I have an offer you better should accept, for the sake of your own people.", Randorn also added.

"And who are the others?", the voice continued asking.

"A doctor who volunteers to help me aiding your wounded and her own assistant.", Sefilia and Adaril bowed down nervous.

"Fine then.", the voice started after a short break again, "One of my subordinates will bring you to your belongings and then you can go to work. I will send you an invitation to an audience later.", again Randorn nodded a bit.

The group noticed a strong flapping of wings about thirty feet away and on an even higher third floor and again scratching walking noises of the second floor, which disappeared again.

"Now, put your goggles on.", Randorn ordered them and the second after the lights went out. Sefilia and Adaril were scared for a moment, but glad, when they were able to see again.

They now saw that it really was a cave with three floors. Their 'dead end' actually had two cave entries at both sides and the second floor seemed to be some kind of loge for watchers. To their front opened at the second floor an enormous dome and much higher than the second floor was an advance, where the mysterious speaker seemed to had been before.

The roof of the dome was covered in little holes of any sizes.

They suddenly again heard these scratchy footsteps, but this time came from one of their sides. An apparently female CloudRunner stood in front of them, she was a little smaller than Kyte, "Please, follow me.", she said with a gently tone.  
She turned around again and walked back into the tunnel.

The group followed her and John could see the amazed faces of his friends Sefilia and Adaril. They had seen a real CloudRunner!  
"I had the same look on my face.", John mentioned, while they tried to stay calm again.  
The CloudRunner-lady seemed to be used to walking, she walked classy and perfect over the rough ground.

The second room was a small dome in which second floor some CloudRunners had gathered themselves to take a better look at the people Randorn had brought with him.  
John took a look at some of the CloudRunner, but unfortunately he had to say that they weren't that different as the Cerinians.  
He had to push Adaril and Sefilia through the cave, because they almost stood still of their own amazement.  
They walked through several more domes, with even more CloudRunner, even some very young ones, which hid scared behind their parents, but none of them was Kyte.

After a while, their CloudRunner leader stopped at the entrance to a smaller cave part and stepped aside.  
Inside the cave stood some wooden camp beds, with some old pillows on them. Besides the beds were their things and the crates and barrels Randorn had brought with himself.  
"While you are here, you will sleep here. Miss, please gather your things and then I will bring you, your assistant and Randorn to the wounded ones."  
"I will stay here for a while and prepare some antidotes for infections.", Randorn explained, "Please come back later and then you can bring me to miss Wolferos."  
"As you wish."

John watched Sefilia taking several bandages, a hand scanner, some salves and scalpels of the labeled crates and put them in her doctor suit case. She handed Adaril a package full of herbs, "We are ready.", the vixen said after that.

The female CloudRunner nodded and lead them out of the room.  
They waved John and Randorn, which had meanwhile sat together, a little goodbye, John answered her with the same gesture, before they disappeared behind the next corner.

When their friends were out of sight, John turned back to Randorn, "You were here more often as it seems.", John speculated.  
"I helped the CloudRunners the one or other time too. And while I was here I brought some more beds with me, just in case.", the eremite explained.

"How do you think did it go? Do they trust us?", John asked after a while, when to his surprise no CloudRunner had appeared to watch over them.  
"At least they want to listen to us. If they wouldn't wanted us here, they would have thrown us out already."  
"Well, I guess that is a good sign.", John commented relieved.

_**Author notes:**_

_**As promised guys the next chapter of Cerinia is up.  
The next one will take a little longer, because there are some things I have to handle, plus I also have another story I have to take care of ;)**_

_**The next one will reveal a big secret and the sad story behind it, so don't forget about me :)**_

_**Don't forget to R&R folks**_


End file.
